A Brief NFA Interlude...

               Indulge me for a moment, won’t you?

               The loony left is constantly rabbiting on about how Amendment II protects the right of the state to form a militia.  You know and I know that that is wrong – it’s an individual right, there’s no reason for “the people” to have a different meaning in that one sentence than in the rest of the document, but indulge me.

               A “militia” is a paramilitary unit that may or may not operate under the auspices and authority of a state.  Note that word – “paramilitary.”  Part and parcel of a militia, and key to the following argument…

               If we are to form a militia, we must have militia-ready weapons to work with.  Firearms.  Bayonets.  Melee weapons.  Explosives.  Grenades (launched and hand.)  Man-portable rocket launchers.  For larger militia units, artillery is not out of the question – private ownership of cannon was common during the Founding era, and fully-owned warships were in private ownership before we had an effective navy!  Called “privateers,” they operated under the auspices of the nascent United States government, being issued Letters of Marque or Letters of Reprisal to deal with specific targets.  Privateer warships carried United States Marines to places like the Barbary Coast, to deal with the Arabs causing trouble for our shipping there.

               So, up to the passage of the National Firearms Act of 1934 (NFA34,) it was common for military hardware to be in private ownership – no trouble.  When machine guns were invented, those could be had mail-order or cash-and-carry, no trouble at all.  Want an M1917?  They’re on the surplus market.  After about 1925, Thompson SMGs were a cash-and-carry proposition.  And it wasn’t a big problem until the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre – and that was the beginning of “instead of blaming the criminal, let’s blame the tool!”

               And NFA34 was passed.  And a $20 machine gun was assessed a $200 transfer tax, and an “enhanced” background check, where they made sure you didn’t beat up other kids for milk money in kindergarten.  The tax hasn’t gone up, although the prices of machine guns has (especially since the supply has been closed with the passage of the Hughes Amendment to the Firearm Owners Protection Act of 1986 – FOPA86,) and machine guns – unless they’re owned by ranges in Las Vegas – are now “investment property.”  And innovation is shot, which is why our military small arms are now heading toward all being foreign designs.  Sidearms – Sig (Swiss).  Longarms – will probably be H&K (German).  Squad Automatic Weapon – FN (Belgian).  Light Machine Gun – also FN (Belgian) (both of which are built under license by Barrett, so at least domestic production.)  At least our heavy machine gun is still the M2HB Browning .50 – it’s old, but it still does the job.  Someone over 30 you can trust!  But domestic innovation in automatic small arms?  Not really happening.

               Now, the NFA et sequelae effectively bans the hardware that has the greatest militia use – automatic firearms, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, explosives, grenades, artillery – all this I had trained with while I was in the military myself (yes, including artillery.  Never knew where I was going to have to work.  I’d also trained on the small arms of forty different nations – how to shoot ‘em, troubleshoot ‘em, fix ‘em, tear ‘em to bits, clean ‘em, put ‘em back together, and make adjustments on ‘em.)  The NFA was upheld in United States v Miller (1939), and enhanced by the Hughes Amendment to FOPA86.

               Given the logic above – that the “point” of Amendment II is the formation of militia units – NFA34 et sequelae is effectively barring us from the firearms and ordnance that is most effective for militia use.  This makes NFA34 et sequelae prima facie unconstitutional, and should be struck forthwith on constitutional grounds.  No transfer tax, no NFA stamp, no Forms 4, no 10-cards, no background check (other than NICS,) and firearms made up to today are freely available.  I would also argue that FFL type 09, 10, and 11, as well as the S(O)T, should be removed, and commerce in former NFA firearms be carried out under the Type 01 (Dealer) or Type 02 (Pawnbroker), manufactured under a common Type 07, and imported under a common Type 08 (no S(O)T endorsements needed.)  Since suppressors also have a valid military/militia use (ever done house-to-house combat?) they should be deregulated, which effectively nullifies the need for the NFA in the first place, if it hasn’t been struck outright.

               Moreover, since the NFA was the entire raison d’etre of the BATF(E) in the first place, I would also suggest that that organisation be disbanded and its personnel scattered to the four winds, with three months’ severance and a caveat that they are ineligible for any armed position in future employment.  The FBI already runs NICS, so that’s fine – explosives can be handled by NICS as well (permitting for blasters maintained.  I need to look into getting my blaster’s card again…)  Alcohol and tobacco can be handled by the FDA, who should be looking into such matters anyhow.  F Troop has been out of control since they were formed under the IRS in 1934.

               Anyhow, I hope you enjoyed this example of using the Left’s own logic against them.  We really need to do this more often (for instance, let’s incorporate Bruen against the states under Amendment XIV, since the Left has been beating us over the head with it for so long.  Time to reverse that particular situation…)

Current Thoughts – Voting Rights

              There’s been quite a lot of debate on the issue of voting rights in this country of late.  This year, Washington, D.C. has decided to run training for non-citizen voting [cf: Judicial Watch, documents obtained 12APR2024.]  Whether non-citizens are being allowed to vote solely in local/municipal elections, or if their vote is to be allowed all the way up to the Federal level, I firmly believe this is the wrong way to go.  Allow me to explain my position:

              First and foremost, exercise of the sovereign franchise is simply the responsibility that one accepts as part of the privilege of citizenship in the country.  [I also have difficulty with the idea of “birthright citizenship” – citizenship conferred merely through an accident of birth – for similar reasons.  But, I’ll get into that elsewhere.]  Voting is how we exercise our say in how the country is to be run.

              But, part and parcel of the responsibility for the privilege of citizenship is also paying taxes, staying informed of the issues and candidates, keeping track of what’s going on around you, and generally being an informed voter.  One cannot be an “informed voter” if one is spending all of one’s time trying to make sure one doesn’t get caught and deported [more on that in another installment.  Perhaps.]

              Further, it’s a simple fact that, if one is not helping to pull the wagon, there is no reason why one should have a say in which way it should go.  Whether you’re voting for President or dogcatcher.  [This is not even getting into the fact that ballots and election materials should damned well be printed in English and English only, for reasons that are fodder for yet another discussion.  Elsewhere.]

              It is for this reason that even “green card” holders (Permanent Resident Aliens) aren’t allowed to vote – they haven’t yet ceded their citizenship in their home country and become naturalized Americans, so why should they have any say in how America is run?  And, if we’re not going to let Permanent Resident [legal] Aliens vote, then why in the Nine Sacred Names should illegal aliens be allowed to vote?

              The sole and only benefit an illegal alien should expect is a one-way ticket to the capital city of his home country, hand-carrying a bill for food, lodging, security, medical care, education, and any other social benefits or resources conferred or used [with copies to follow via Registered International Post and diplomatic courier,] payable in gold, NET 30.  No option given on whether or not repatriation will be allowed – we’re sending them, you’re getting them.   We’re sending them with our own agents who will walk them off of the airplane and convey them to the steps of your capitol building.  But, I’m cranky.  And that, yet again, is fodder for yet another discussion.

              And yes, that includes deportation of people here on a visa or on a ‘green card’ for advocating for the destruction of the country or casting their lot in with people and/or groups that want to see this country destroyed.  You are a guest, and you are here at the pleasure of the Department of State, Government of the United States.  You didn’t have to come here, you don’t have to stay here, and we damned sure won’t keep you here!  If you’re here on a scholarship to university, then scholarships should be revoked [if not have a refund required for monies already paid out…] and you’re paying for your own transport out of the country.

              If you are married, your husband/wife has the option to leave the country with you.  They can go with you, they can stay here, they can wait for you to come back [which will be on the twelfth of Never,] or they can file for divorce.  Although, if they’re spouting the same nonsense you are, and they’re citizens?  We just may revoke their citizenship and deport them with you – the difference is that you will still have citizenship in your home country.  They will be ‘stateless’ – which I am given to understand can pose quite the difficulty…

              Children?  They can exercise the same option as your ‘other half’, or go with you – as you or they prefer.  And if they’re citizens because of ‘birthright citizenship,’ well, that gets tossed out.  They get your citizenship, green cards if they stay here, &c, &c.  That way, the United States can’t be accused of ‘breaking up families’ – any ‘breaking up’ of your family that happens is on you.

              You should have thought of that before you started spouting off, y’damn fool.

              Anyhow – you (and your spouse, if he/she is firing off at the mouth the same way) will be looked into, talked to, and put out of the country, and don’t bother arguing.  And don’t bother going to the ACLU, either, because I’m sure none of their attorneys would like to be disbarred.  You [and your spouse, if s/he wishes] will be put out of the country, even if s/he isn’t rabbiting on about “Death to America!” and such nonsense – and be glad we’re only deporting you.

               Speaking of ‘birthright citizenship,’ I hope Trump does reverse that – it’s granted by act of law that was a perversion of the language of Amendment XIV, meant to grant full citizenship to the recently-manumitted slaves.  As even discussed in the debates then, it was not meant to confer citizenship willy-nilly upon an accident of birth (and for those of you who want to drag Wong Kim Ark into this, there are a couple of critical factors to consider:

1)      The Wongs (Kim’s parents) were here legally as resident aliens.

2)      Mr. Wong (Wong Kim Ark – the Asians list their family names first.  We would have known him as Kim Ark Wong) was born here.  To lawful resident alien parents.  Who were therefore “under the jurisdiction of the United States.”  And could therefore legally give birth to someone who would be a citizen.  If you’re here illegally, you’re not ‘subject to the jurisdiction of the United States,' except insofar as you are subject to immediate removal if caught.

3)      Therefore, no-one involved would have been considered an “illegal alien,” and the text of Amendment XIV would not be challenged, nor would the foolishment under Federal law be needed (I don’t recall the exact section, I should probably look for it again one of these days.  I think it was in Title 8.)

There was no Amendment XIV challenge, simply because the Wongs were ‘subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, being lawful residents thereof.  See how that works?

 But, I digress.  Non-citizens should not be allowed to vote, not even for city dog-catcher or on municipal bond issues, simply because they’re not invested enough in the process to become citizens and get some real skin in the game.

Green card voters aren’t allowed to vote for a reason.  There is no sane reason at all why illegal aliens should be allowed to even enter the polls!  Yes, I know, some city out here in California went and appointed an illegal alien to some City Council position – “to represent the interests of undocumented immigrants.”  My answer to that City Council?  “I have neither the time nor the crayons to explain to you why that is a bad idea.”  We’ve also allowed an illegal alien to go all the way through law school, and they are now admitted to the Bar!  Excuse me?  An illegal alien is now an officer of the court?  Okeh, now I’m pretty sure one of us has gone insane, and I’m reasonably certain it’s not me.  Eighty-five percent sure.  I’m not going to rule out us both being nuts – but I’m reasonably sure I’m not the one that has gone barking mad. . .

I still itch a little at children born to green card holders being automatic citizens, but at least green card holders are still doing it legal.  At least they care enough to come here properly.  I can respect that.

Illegal aliens being issued (handed outright?) valid driver licenses.

Illegal aliens being appointed to government jobs.

Illegal aliens being made officers of the court.

Now, they want illegal aliens to vote!

Small wonder they’re all coming up here – we’re treating them better than they get at home!

 

 

JDK

Psychodrama

 Someday, I may start writing consistently for this thing.  Today is not that day.

Tomorrow don't look too good, neither.  Anyhow.

I have noted with pleasure that Stephen King's The Long Walk is being made into a movie, hopefully to be released soon (they finished filming last year.)  I look forward to this - The Long Walk is one of my favour psychodramas, and one of my favourite King works (even though it was a Bachman book, and my reaction to those was a bit mixed - but generally positive.)

The othes I'd like to see made into movies, if done right?  I'd like to see a proper redux of The Running Man," a 'long-short' (30-45 minutes should do) of Survivor Type, and (although I am sure to be considered crass for this,) Rage.

I once did a paper for psychology called The Mechanics of Madness: a Study of Insanity in Popular Literature, and I drew heavily on those three.  Survivor Type being largely self-destruction of the ego, Rage being a major conflict between the aspects of the mind, and Long Walk being about the social destruction of the psyche, wearing it down bit by bit.

Now, as a rule, I don't normally go to the theatre - I don't own a house to take out a second mortgage on to afford the tix and concessions.  The last movie I went to go see was the third Abrams Star Trek (and despite popular opinion, I enjoyed all three.  The connection with "Spock Prime" was a neat way to establish the Abramsverse as an alternate timeline, and I thought it was fun having the Beastie Boys on a Star Trek soundtrack, each time.

Sadly, I have lost the paper (homelessness is a bitch, and having your stuff auctioned off in a storage sale sucks.  Worse, the guy that bought it didn't follow the rules and return personal papers - so I lost all my geneaology and military history notes, and 20 years' worth of technical notebooks (mechanical solutions, tool designs, &c, &c) to the bin.  And he pushed the truck I had in storage out onto the street into a No Parking Zone - I spent years fighting that ticket!)  I may try to recreate it someday - I won't get the same thing (after all, you can never cross the same river twice,) but it would be interesting to see my take on it now, 30-odd years later, with much more experience and all that has happened to me since - including nearly losing my own sanity, which gives me a more comprehensive view of madness now.  (I'm surprised my kid sister didn't use me as a case study in abnormal psychology - I'd happily have been interviewed...)