US Airways Under Attack for Treatment of Soldier

It appears a US Airways Flight Attendant refused to hang up this soldier’s jacket, citing policy.  Fair enough, he was in coach and apparently that is too much to ask for when flying coach.  Not a huge problem in my opinion.  What I believe ruffled the feathers of the other passengers, is the Flight Attendant was belligerent in her response and attitude towards the soldier.

What I would like to give props to the FSG is the humble attitude he approached the situation with.  It is often that when people find out about my service I am thanked for serving and the sacrifices that come along with that service.  I often times feel slightly awkward in accepting that thanks.  None of the individuals who thank me influenced or coerced me into military service.  I feel that the general public owes me nothing.  However I’m sure all of us have served have seen the service members that do possess that sense of entitlement.  There was one officer in my unit that all of us hated to travel with for any reason.  Everywhere you went he was making a spectacle of trying to get this for free, or that for free, using the I’m a poor soldier and you owe it to me.  It was absurd to expect what he expected.  Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate any military or veteran discount offered by any business, but do not expect it, or feel offended if it is not offered.

The US military is a volunteer organization.  Those who serve generally do so because the feel a desire to be part of something bigger than an individual.  I can’t tell you at what point in my life I decided to enter the military, because as far back as I can remember it was something I was inclined to.  My friends and I spent countless hours in the surrounding woods with our BB and pellet guns building forts to defend and capture.

Back on point, many of the first class passengers offered this soldier their seat in first class.  These Americans with the means to pay a higher rate for more comfort and better service from the airline offered the soldier their seat.  They were willing to move back to cattle class while paying the higher rate, so this soldier and his uniform could fly in comfort, wrinkle free.  The soldier, being humble and obviously not the entitled type, thanked the passengers for their offer and calmly remained in coach.

It was not the soldier who has complained to media and the airlines about the Flight Attendant being rude and belligerent, but the passengers on the plane.  These passengers felt so strongly about the attitude given by the Flight Attendant that they have caused quite a stir.

So I give kudos all around.  To the soldier for remaining respectful and humble, and the passengers for caring about the treatment of an American Soldier.

Authored By Halon330 Remember, I'm not crazy, just extremely sincere!

Oldie but Goodie, Ranger Up video.

Ran across this today, been up since 2012, but still funny.  Produced by the guys and gals over at Ranger Up (www.rangerup.com).  If you have time look through more of their videos.  Find lots of laughs from these guys.  Had an experience this week where someone asked the “inappropriate” question.  Anyway, enjoy the laughs.

Warning, Strong Language, NSFW.

Authored By Halon330 Remember, I'm not crazy, just extremely sincere!

New machine guns may be available again!

I’ve been following a phenomenon for awhile now, and it appears things are going in a great direction.  With the allowance of unincorporated trusts to own items that fall under NFA purview, determinations on key definitions seemingly have created an opportunity for new full auto weapons to be owned by trusts.  Although since 1986 the NFA has prevented all new full auto weapons to only be made for government use, causing Americans to trade around only the weapons that were legally manufactured, owned and registered prior to passage of NFA in 1986.

Recently a gentleman submitted a Form 1 to create a new machine gun owned by his trust, which by ATF definition is not a person but an entity and not subject to the same requirements as a person.  His tax stamp was approved.  Now the ATF is backpedaling a bit and the gentleman is going to fight the good fight for all of our benefits.

I am going to immediately submit a form 1 for the creation of a new full auto weapon and see where it goes.  I’m almost certain it will be disapproved initially, but depending on how the court case goes that denial may be overturned.  I am also going to donate to the legal fund.  Since this fight would benefit all gun enthusiasts I strongly urge anyone who can to follow suit.

All the details on the ongoing battle can be found in this thread on ar15.com.

Details on how to submit a form 1 are here.  Note you will need a firearm that you are willing to convert.  You have to have the firearm’s details as part of the submission.  Also, you will need to have an NFA gun trust.  You can find assistance setting up a trust from many lawyers or online services.  199trust.com is fairly common and competitively priced.

To donate to the legal fund, please go here.  I cannot stress how helpful any amount you could contribute would be.  A win on this would plummet the cost of existing transferable machine guns, and make the cost of new ones just an extra $100-$200 above current costs.  If would enable the average gun owner to enjoy the same freedoms as those with much higher disposable income levels.  As most full auto transferable weapons are currently running at minimum $15,000 to $20,000.

Maybe is we can get a win here it will pave way for ridding ourselves of the NFA.  I cannot see that it does anything to improve the safety of Americans.  The items are still available, it just increases the cost and availability of many items.  I see no reason that suppressors should be regulated so strictly.  I would love to be able to deer hunt without deafening myself.

 

 

Authored By Halon330 Remember, I'm not crazy, just extremely sincere!

Arkansas Firing Range Bans Muslims

I first heard about this on Bearing Arms.  BA is another blog I read daily.  The post I read was written by Bob Owens and can be read here: After Oklahoma Beheading and ISIS Threats, Arkansas Firing Range Become First To Exclude Muslims – Bearing Arms.

I posted a short version of my thoughts in the comments and have been blasted by all sorts ever since.  I haven’t rebutted in his comments as the comments seem to be getting somewhat out of hand.  I’ll try to elaborate on my opinion more here, without this turning into a novel.

The range is owned by Jan Morgan.  She sites several reasons why she will no longer allow Muslims to utilize her range.  Including a story where two men who only spoke broken English came in and rented firearms.  She states she was so nervous she stood behind them the entire time with hand on pistol.  What I don’t have a problem with is her not feeling comfortable renting firearms to, allowing range time to, or selling products to any individual who in her opinion is a threat to her safety or anyone else’s safety.  The keyword here is individual.  If something about an individual doesn’t seem right, then use your judgement and make the safe call.

On the other hand what I do have a problem with is labeling an entire group because of the actions of a few.  She also cites many events that involved Muslims.  There have been plenty of sad moments in history that involved disturbed individuals from many religious backgrounds, ethnicity, race, or any other form of lumping people together.

So know to how I justify my opinion.  I believe most anyone who reads the same blogs I do, anyone here reading this blog, are true Americans.  We believe strongly in the freedoms and liberties protected by the Bill of Rights.  That being said, as strongly as we feel about the second amendment, how can we ignore the others?  I can’t!  For me it is ll of none.  I took an oath to protect these freedoms and individual liberty.  We all know the 2nd amendment, the right to keep and bear arms.  I daily try to further and stand behind the right of Americans to arms themselves for self defense, sport, or any other productive use of firearms.  So in the same spirit why should I not hold that the 1st amendment is not just as important.  The first amendment protects freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition.  Notice that says freedom of religion.

I guarantee you that people wouldn’t be rallying around this woman if she was Muslim and  announced she would refuse service to any Christian that walked through the door.  I promise you there are plenty of wackos, cults, and sects that use a distorted form of Christianity to push their own agenda with or without violence.  Just off the top of my head I can name two that are very prominent and I’m just waiting for the day ether of them finally cross that line.

First up, the group everyone loves to hate, Westboro Baptist Church.  These guys really make my blood boil.  Nice Christian group, still welcome at the range!

westboro

 

Another group worthy of mentioning, Martyrs for Christ.  Picture is of their leader.  Guy is super special.  Ever on the fence about hollowing out your head with a .45, just watch a few of this guys videos on youtube and you will most likely choose to eat a bullet.  There is a video of each of their members on youtube proclaiming how they would be honored to be a martyr for Christ.  Pretty self explanatory.  Want access to firearms and firearms training, come on down!  Nice trustworthy Christians.

mfc

 

Now am I stating that everyone that is Muslim is a nice upstanding person.  No, not at all.  I’m just saying that not all Muslims are Jihad crazed loons following an extremist ideology.  Just like not all people of other denominations are all the same, or have the same beliefs.  Should Jan Morgan have the right to refuse service in her establishment? Absolutely!  Should her and her employees have the right to determine if a potential customer doesn’t seem fit either physically or mentally to use her facility? Absolutely!  Is using and perpetuating a stereotype and applying blanket discrimination to an entire religion acceptable to me or by the freedoms granted to Americans?  In my opinion, no!

One last point I made in my comments on Bearing Arms, was that there are US service members and veterans that are Muslim.  Using google to dig up some numbers, DOD states that approximately 20,000 current service members religious preference is Muslim.  It is estimated that 10,000+ on top of that 20,000 are Muslim, but chose No Religious Preference to avoid discrimination.  This is only current personnel, and these numbers don’t extend to those veterans who have since separated.  So my question was, if a US Soldier who fought for our country, and the rights he/she is supposed to have, has no prior knowledge of this discrimination goes to Mrs. Morgan’s place of business, would he/she be turned away for being Muslim?

 

Here are a couple of links to articles that Jan herself has written justifying her point of view.

http://janmorganmedia.com/2014/09/business-muslim-free-zone/

http://janmorganmedia.com/2014/10/handing-loaded-gun-man-whose-religion-tells-kill/

 

 

 

Authored By Halon330 Remember, I'm not crazy, just extremely sincere!

American Sniper Trailer

Found out about this on ENDO (www.everydaynodaysoff.com)  Looks really interesting.  Would love to see if Hollywood plays it right here.  A few of my other daily read blogs have posted this also.  Many points of view out there on how this will play out.  I hope it follows reality as closely as possible.  As others have mentioned, really interesting choice of scenes to create the trailer around.  Can’t wait for the liberals to spin up on how evil the American war machine.  As a veteran I can attest to the horrible things that happen in war.  Especially with the enemy we are currently facing that loves to use womer and children to capitalize on our morale compass.  Just a moment of hesitation by a soldier can give the enemy the upper hand.

 

Authored By Halon330 Remember, I'm not crazy, just extremely sincere!