I got engaged last August, and I’ll be married this August in less than a month.  The past year really flew by.  A year ago I felt like we had a ton of time to get everything done then I blinked an eye and we’re only a few weeks away and still don’t have all the details of the wedding straightened out.  It is a busy and stressful time, but the one bit of advice I’ve heard from so many people is to just relax and enjoy it.  Last weekend I finally put the whole thing out of my mind and just relaxed.  It was my bachelor party weekend.

We shot clays, played a challenging golf course and drank several beers in a small vacation town in the mountains.  My entire wedding party and several friends were there.  It really was a great time.  We arrived at the mountain home about an hour after the sporting clays.  Six of us were there before the other 16 so we decided to take a short walk to check out the lake.

The conversation was mostly on Philly sports…The Flyers new signings, the Phillies never getting over .5000, etc.  But we were all still amped up over shooting clays.  It was a lot of fun, and for a few of the guys, it was their first time firing a shotgun.  And that’s when my idea for this article happened.  One of my best friends, one of the guys in my wedding party, gave us a clear look into his mindset and thought process.  He said, “I’m fairly liberal, so I’m generally against guns, but I do own a rifle”.

Let’s forget about the fact that his statement doesn’t make a whole lot of sense (I’d never say, “I’m against abortion, but I have suggested my girlfriend to have several of them”).  What really bothered me was that he said, “I’m fairly liberal so…”.  Where are these sign up sheets to become liberal or conservative that have the lists of all beliefs you must believe or you’re kicked out of the club?  I don’t know about you, but I was never handed one with my voter registration.  By saying a statement like that, is it possible to consider him anything more than a sheep?  He showed his true colors.  He does not think for himself, he only spouts the liberal catch phrases (I could add SEVERAL more examples, but I’m sticking to this one specifically).

I get the feeling it would pain him to say “I am ok with guns”, or “I really enjoyed shooting that shotgun today”, or “I liked the shotgun, but I love shooting my rifle.”  He is so scared that someone might assume he is *gasp* conservative!!!  Clearly, he does not think like an individual.  There is nothing wrong with saying, “I am against guns” or “I am for responsible gun ownership”  I cannot see how either one of those statements defines your entire political opinion.  But saying, “I am a liberal so I believe…” really does show so much.  What if Barrack Obama says he wants relaxed gun laws, would he then say, “I am fairly liberal, so I am for gun ownership.”?

Think for yourself.  Learn on your own.  Find out facts on your own.  Please don’t rely on politicians to make your opinions for you.  It is annoying.  It is dangerous. And it makes you a sheep.

 

God Bless Freedom, Liberty, and Personal Property,

Slappy Jones II