Tucson Rifle Club, Inc.
HC 2 Box 7128
Tucson, AZ 85735-9729
MONTHLY MATCH SCHEDULES:
1st Saturday - Blackpowder Cartridge Rifle Silhouette 9AM and Tucson Action Shooters
1st Sunday – NRA Hi-Power Rifle Silhouette 9:30 AM and The Old Pueblo Cowboy Single Action 9AM
2nd Saturday – 1000yd.NBRSA (Light & Heavy) 7AM and Tactical Multi-gun Night Shoot (1600 hrs).
2nd Sunday - 1000yd Saguaro Benchrest 7AM; Southern Arizona Wildlife Callers (SAWC) Prairie Dog Silhouette (*) or balloon shoot, 9AM.
3rd Saturday - TASC
3rd Sunday – CMP John C Garrand Match (7AM); NRA Small-Bore Rifle Silhouette (10AM); The Altar Valley Pistoleros Cowboy Single Action (9AM)
4th Saturday - High Power Rifle-NMC (80 round) & The President's Practical Tactical Multi-Gun Action Match (afternoon ~1300 winter & 1500 summer)
4th Sunday - IHMSA Small-Bore Pistol Silhouette AND Big-Bore w/Field Pistol on the same day at 9AM and Old Pueblo Muzzle Loaders (OPML);
(*) “Even” months only e.g. February, April, June, August, October, etc.
Anything on a 5th Weekend are usually special events so do the smart thing CALL THE RANGE to find out what is going on if you THINK you are going to have a certain range ALL to yourself.
· RANGE HOURS 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Call the Range 822-5189 for information & conformation of match dates and times.
Note: Monthly meetings are held in different locations.
On the Odd Months the meeting will be held at Diamondback Police Supplies, 170 S Kolb Rd (meeting room) beginning at 6 PM
(1800 hrs) on the Third Wednesday’s.
On the Even Months the meetings will be held at The TIA Executive Terminal 3rd Wednesday’s also beginning at 6 PM
§ I urge you to join the NRA & GOA for national representation and join Brassroots and FACT for State & local government activities and stay alert to (and help influence) the politics that surround us.
1. Always handle firearms as if they are loaded and ready to fire.
2. Always point the muzzle in a safe direction.
(“Safe” means at something you are willing to destroy OR at something, that can effectively stop the round)
3. Always keep your finger straight along the frame until you are on target and ready to fire.
4. Always be sure your target and what's behind it are safe to shoot. (know where your bullets are going to stop)
(Rules for handling guns in the presence of other persons)
1. Never accept OR hand a weapon to anyone unless the action is open.
2. Never place a weapon anywhere unless the action is open & unloaded.
3. Never let the muzzle of any weapon that you control cross anyone's body.
4. Whenever you handle a weapon that has been out of your control, verify the condition of the weapon immediately—action is open & unloaded.
REMINDER – Tucson Rifle Club requires range users to USE an OPEN BOLT INDICATOR (OBI) and they SHALL be installed in every firearm ON the Firing Line of every range during a CEASEFIRE.
Firearm Philosophical Warning –
Once the bullet leaves the barrel, it has no friends.
Upcoming Events:
§ May 17&18, 2003 TRC will host the State High Power Rifle Silhouette Championships. Applications and entry forms are available at the Range Office.
§ Friends of the NRA Banquet (see insert w/this NL)
§ TRC members – There is an effort afoot to eliminate the need to publish and mail (a significant cost) the newsletter. To this end, our stupendous webmaster has generated a special feature at the TRC website that will allow you to “automagically” have the NL emailed to your email address. Go to:
http://www.tucsonrifleclub.org/TRC_newsletter_subscribe.shtml
and this URL will instruct you on how to perform this miracle of modern communications. This is a good idea because as time goes on more TRC members are becoming internet users and you begin to enjoy the advantages of email and the net.
Junior Program activities: We have four kids attending the shooting instruction and practice sessions at the Range. Three more will join us as soon as their schedules permit. We have a varied selection of rifles some with modified stocks to fit the diminutive stature of the younger shooters. The group meets on the Second Saturday’s and the Forth Sunday’s of the month. We have a few shooting coats and two spotting scopes for the upcoming instruction sessions.
We have a safety and rifle system class that the kids attend before their introduction to the range and shooting activities.
We are always looking for equipment donations and if anyone has an extra scope, shooting mat or glove the Junior Program would put them to good use. Just get it to the Range Office and we’ll add it to our collection.
If you’re kids are interested in participating in the Junior Program, contact the Range and leave your name and how you can be contacted.
MATCH RESULTS:
High Power Rifle Silhouette 4/6/03
|
Cls/Pls |
Name |
Score |
|
AAA |
||
|
AAA/1st |
22 |
|
|
AAA |
Jeff Boyer |
? |
|
AA/1st |
Mike Aiello |
|
|
AA |
May Warren |
16 |
|
AA |
Nic Moreno |
10 |
|
AA |
Andres Wirchaga |
16 |
|
A |
15 |
|
|
A |
Tom Porter |
14 |
|
A |
Jesus Reyes |
12 |
|
A |
Vince Lazara |
20 |
|
A/MW |
24 |
|
|
B/1st |
Mike Chapdelain |
14 |
|
B |
Ruben Reyes |
9 |
Sunny crisp day – Nice day for shooting steel. Long range bench rest shooter, Mike Chapdelain had guts enough to standup and shoot a good score with us! Congratulations to Dave Esquivel – Match Winner
§ Smallbore Rifle Silhouette 2/16/03
|
Cls/Pls |
Name |
Score |
|
Mas/MW |
||
|
Mas |
|
|
|
AAA/1st |
May Warren |
|
|
AAA |
David Esquivel |
|
|
AAA |
Flavio Ruiz |
|
|
AAA |
Andres Wirchaga |
|
|
AA |
Carl Bower |
|
|
AA/1st |
|
|
|
AA |
Jenn McNeil |
|
|
AA |
Rene Menard |
|
|
AA |
German Ruiz |
|
|
AA |
Andres Ruiz |
|
|
AA |
Juan Rubio |
|
|
AA |
Bob Stapelton (1/2 match) |
|
|
AA |
Jaime Bujanda |
|
|
A |
Tom Porter |
|
|
A |
Milt Hood |
|
|
B/1st |
Mark Gregory |
|
|
B |
Burt Kaufer |
|
18 brave souls endured a downpour for this month’s match. Great scores for Wyoming’s Roger Sebasta and Tucson’s May Warren. Rain and mud and high winds made this a challenging match. Next month – sunshine?
Sorry the scoreboard washed off.
Shooter Group Score
Clyde Weckworth 11 5/8”* 88
Jim Musegades 18” 81
Chris Hudspeth 11 5/8”* 93**
Gene Hudspeth 11 5/8” 71
Wray Kephardt 23 ¼” 68
Ron Buckner 338 18 ¼” 78
Mike Chapdelain 38 ¼” 65
Steve Cass 10 1/8”*53
Gordon Winkelman 33 70
Ron Buckner-.280 Rem 34 ¾” 66
Small Group Shoot-off
Chris Hudspeth-10 ¼” Winner
Steve Cass- 16”
Clyde Weckworth-18 5/8”
*Denotes Small Group Relay Winner
**Denotes High Score winner
First time in a while that we had a 3 way shoot for small group trophy. It was fun! Chris Hudspeth continues the hot streak with excellent shooting. Steve and Clyde close on his heels. Next Match April 13th 7:00 a.m
Shooter Score Group
Chris Hudspeth 88* 19 ¾”
Gene Hudspeth 77 20 1/8”
Jim Musegades 85 12 ¾”**
Clyde Weckworth 67 22 3/8”
Steve Cass 63 17 ¾”**
Ron Buckner 77 16 5/8”
Don Bennett 77 31 ¾”
Mike Chapdelain 71 31 ¼”
Richard VanHorne 85 20 ¼”
*Denotes High Score Winner
** Denotes Small Grp Relay winner
Small Group Shoot-Off
Steve Cass-20 ¼”
Jim Musegades-5 ½”
Chris takes High Score with an excellent 88. Jimmy Musegades sets a new Small Group record for our bunch with an amazing 10 shots into 5 ½”! That is the smallest group fired by any shooter since I have been running this 10 shots in 10 minutes format. The next closest group to this one was fired by Ed Rice and measured 6 5/8”. Great Job James!
James uses a Remington 78 action, Douglas barrel, plain old wood stock and has a Leupold 3.5x10 mounted up top. Load is 35 grains of Varget in WW case, set off with a Fed210M cap. Caliber is 6mm Rem with the Sierra 107 MatchKing. - Mike Chapdelain
20 Apr 03 7:30 am; Current CMP Competition Rules, Garand Match-Course B. M1 Rifle – 10; M1A – 1; AR-15 – 4; K-98 - 1
1. Bud Geymer 470-11X (AR-15)
2. Jim Bertrand 469-6X (AR-15)
3. Pete Wolf 461-6X (NM Garand)
4. Bob Pirisky 452-4X (Garand) MW - Garand High Score
5. Maury Krupp 444-3X (Garand)
6. Jim Denovchek 443-2X (K-98)
7. Bob Suomala 442-3X (Garand)
8. Ron Mendez 438-4X (Garand)
9. Kelvin Javier 433-6X (AR-15)
10. Lee McKinney 425-4X (AR-15)
11. Randy Dwornik 417-1X (Garand)
12. Don Travers 405-2X (M1A)
13. Nick Bradley 399-0X (Garand)
14. Rick Smart 387-6X (Garand)
15. Tom Monahan 370-1X (Garand)
16. Mark Trombley 336-0X (Garand)
§ John C Garand Match – 16 March 2003
Current CMP Competition Rules, Garand Match-Course B.
Rifles Used: M1 Rifle – 9; M1A – 1; AR-15 - 4
1 Bob Pirisky 467-10X (AR-15)
2 Maury Krupp 439-7X MW - Garand High Score
3 Pete Wolf 433-8X (AR-15)
4 Bob Suomala 426-1 (Garand)
5 Shawn Herman 424-3X (AR-15)
6 Brian Lukow 418-9X (AR-15)
7 Tom Edwards 416-6X (Garand)
8 Randy Dwornik 404-3X (Garand)
9 Ron Mendez 404-2X (Garand)
10 Brad Metcalf 403-4X (Garand)
11 Nick Bradley 352-2X (Garand)
12 Mark Trombley 311-1X (Garand)
13 Doug Weems295-0X (Garand)
14 Don Travers 286-2X (M1A)
Match Course: 80-shot Regional Course. (7 NRA*, 10 Non-NRA)
Dan Rodriguez 752-11X* NRA Service Rifle Expert Winner
Dave Staggers 746-12X Non-NRA Service Rifle Winner
Justin Skaret DNF
§ The following excerpt is from a commentary by Alistair Cooke that aired recently on the BBC. Cooke is a British-born American journalist and radio/TV personality who has spent much of his life explaining Britain to Americans and vice versa.
I promised to lay off topic A - Iraq - until the Security Council makes a judgment on the inspectors' report, and I shall keep that promise.
But I must tell you that throughout the past fortnight I've listened to
everybody involved in or looking on to a monotonous din of words, like a tide crashing and receding on a beach - making a great noise and saying the same thing over and over.
And this ordeal triggered a nightmare - a daymare, if you like.
Through the ceaseless tide I heard a voice, a very English voice of an old man - Prime Minister Chamberlain saying: "I believe it is peace for our time" - a sentence that prompted a huge cheer, first from a listening street crowd and then from the House of Commons and, next day, from every newspaper in the land.
There was a move to urge that Mr. Chamberlain should receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
In Parliament, there was one unfamiliar old grumbler to growl out:
"I believe we have suffered a total and unmitigated defeat."
He was, in view of the general sentiment, very properly booed down.
This scene concluded, in the autumn of 1938, the British prime minister's effectual signing away of most of Czechoslovakia to Hitler.
The rest of it, within months, Hitler walked in and conquered.
"Oh dear," said Mr. Chamberlain, thunderstruck. "He has betrayed my trust."
During the last fortnight, a simple but startling thought occurred to me - every single official, diplomat, president, prime minister involved in the Iraq debate was, in 1938, (either) a toddler (or) unborn.
So the dreadful scene I've just drawn will not have been remembered by most listeners. Hitler had started betraying our trust not 12 years but only two years before, when he broke the First World War peace treaty by occupying the demilitarized zone of the Rhineland.
Only half his troops carried one reload of ammunition, because Hitler knew that French morale was too low to confront any war just then and 10 million of 11 million British voters had signed a so-called peace ballot. It stated no conditions, elaborated no terms, it simply counted the numbers of Britons who were "for peace."
The slogan of this movement was "Against war and fascism" - chanted at the time by every Labor man and Liberal and many moderate Conservatives – a slogan that now sounds as imbecilic as "against hospitals and disease."
In blunter words, a majority of Britons would do anything, absolutely anything, to get rid of Hitler except fight him.
At that time the word pre-emptive had not been invented, though today it's a catchword. After all, the Rhineland was what it said it was - part of Germany. So to march in and throw Hitler out would have been pre-emptive, wouldn't it?
Nobody did anything, and Hitler looked forward with confidence to gobbling up the rest of Western Europe country by country - "course by course," as growler Churchill put it.
I bring up Munich and the mid-'30s because I was fully grown, on the verge of 30, and knew we were indeed living in the age of anxiety. And so, many of the arguments mounted against each other today, in the last fortnight, are exactly what we heard in the House of Commons debates and read in the French press.
The French especially urged, after every Hitler invasion, "negotiation,
negotiation." They negotiated so successfully as to have their whole
country defeated and occupied. But as one famous French leftist said: "We did, anyway, manage to make them declare Paris an open city - no bombs on us!"
In Britain, the general response to every Hitler advance was disarmament and collective security.
Collective security meant to leave every crisis to the League of
Nations. It would put down aggressors, even though, like the United
Nations, it had no army, navy or air force.
The League of Nations had its chance to prove itself when Mussolini
invaded and conquered Ethiopia (Abyssinia).
The League didn't have any shot to fire. But still the cry was chanted
in the House of Commons - the League and collective security are the only true guarantee of peace.
But after the Rhineland, the maverick Churchill decided there was no
collectivity in collective security and started a highly unpopular
campaign for rearmament by Britain, warning against the general belief that Hitler had already built an enormous mechanized army and superior air force.
But he's not used them, he's not used them - people protested.
Still, for two years before the outbreak of the Second War you could read the debates in the House of Commons and now shiver at the famous Labor men - Major Attlee was one of them - who voted against rearmament and still went on pointing to the League of Nations as the savior.
Now, this memory of mine may be totally irrelevant to the present crisis. It haunts me.
I have to say I have written elsewhere with much conviction that most historical analogies are false because, however strikingly similar a new situation may be to an old one, there's usually one element that is different and it turns out to be the crucial one.
It may well be so here. All I know is that all the voices of the '30s are
§ Who’s Smarter?
The Hollywood group is at it again. Holding anti-war rallies, screaming about the Bush Administration, running ads in major newspapers, defaming the President and his Cabinet every chance they get, to anyone and everyone who will listen. They publicly defile them and call them names like "stupid", "morons", and "idiots". Jessica Lange went so far as to tell a crowd in
Spain that she hates President Bush and is embarrassed to be an American.
So, just how ignorant are the people who are running the country?
Let's look at the biographies of these "stupid", "ignorant", "moronic" leaders, and then at the celebrities who are castigating them:
§ President George W. Bush: Received a Bachelors Degree from Yale University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He served as an F-102 pilot for the Texas Air National Guard. He began his career in the oil and gas business in Midland in 1975 and worked in the energy industry until 1986. He was elected Governor on November 8, 1994, with 53.5 percent of the vote. In a historic re-election victory, he became the first Texas Governor reelected to consecutive four-year terms on November 3, 1998 winning 68.6 percent of the vote. In 1998, Governor Bush won 49 percent of the Hispanic vote, 27 percent of the African-American vote, 27 percent of Democrats and 65 percent of women. He won more Texas counties, 240 of 254, than any modern Republican other that Richard Nixon in 1972 and is the first Republican gubernatorial candidate to win the heavily Hispanic and Democratic border counties of El Paso, Cameron and Hidalgo. (Someone began circulating a false story about his I.Q. being lower than any other President. If you believed it, you might want to go to URBANLEGENDS.COM and see the truth.)
§ Vice President Dick Cheney earned a B.A. in 1965 and an M.A. in 1966, both in political sciences. Two years later, he won an American Political Science Association congressional fellowship. One of Vice President Cheney's primary duties is to share with individuals, members of Congress and foreign leaders, President Bush's vision to strengthen our economy, secure our homeland and win the War on Terrorism.
In his official role as President of the Senate, Vice President Cheney regularly goes to Capital Hill to meet with Senators and members of the House of Representatives to work on the Administration's legislative goals. In his travels as Vice President, he
has seen first hand the great demands the war on terrorism is placing on the men and women of our military, and he is proud of the tremendous job they are doing for the United States of America.
§ Secretary of State Colin Powell was educated in the New York City public schools, graduating from the City College of New York (CCNY), where he earned a Bachelor's Degree in geology. He also participated in ROTC at CCNY and received a commission as an Army second lieutenant upon graduation in June 1958. His further academic achievements include a Master of Business Administration Degree from George Washington University. Powell is the recipient of numerous U.S. and foreign military awards and decorations. Secretary Powell's civilian awards include two Presidential Medals of Freedom, the President's Citizens Medal, the Congressional Gold Medal, the Secretary of State Distinguished Service Medal, and the Secretary of Energy Distinguished Service Medal. Several schools and other institutions have been named in his honor and he holds honorary degrees from universities and colleges across the country.
§ Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld: attended Princeton University on Scholarship (AB, 1954) and served in the U.S. Navy (1954-57) as a Naval aviator; Congressional Assistant to Rep. Robert Griffin (R-MI), 1957-59; U.S. Representative, Illinois, 1962-69; Assistant to the President, Director of the Office of Economic Opportunity, Director of the Cost of Living Council, 1969-74; U.S. Ambassador to NATO, 1973-74; head of Presidential Transition Team, 1974; Assistant to the President, Director of White House Office of Operations, White House Chief of Staff, 1974-77; Secretary of Defense, 1975-77
§ Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge was raised in a working class family in veterans' public housing in Erie, PA. He earned a scholarship to Harvard, graduating with honors in 1967. After his first year at The Dickinson School of Law, he was drafted into the U.S. Army, where he served as an infantry staff sergeant in Vietnam, earning the Bronze Star for Valor. After returning to Pennsylvania, he earned his Law Degree and was in private practice before becoming Assistant District Attorney in Erie County. He was elected to Congress in 1982. He was the first enlisted Vietnam combat veteran elected to the U.S. House, and was overwhelmingly re-elected six times.
§ National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice: Born November 14, 1954 in Birmingham, Alabama, she earned her bachelor's degree in political science, cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of Denver in 1974; her Master's from the University of Notre Dame in 1975; and her Ph.D. from the Graduate School of International Studies at the University of Denver in 1981. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and has been awarded Honorary Doctorates from Morehouse College in 1991, the University of Alabama in 1994, and the University of Notre Dame in 1995.
(Note: Rice enrolled at the University of Denver at the age of 15, graduating at 19 with a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science (Cum Laude). She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and was awarded Honorary Doctorates from Morehouse College in 1991, the University of Alabama in 1994, and the University of Notre Dame in 1995.
At Stanford, she has been a member of the Center for International Security and Arms Control, a Senior Fellow of the Institute for International Studies, and a Fellow (by courtesy) of the Hoover Institution. Her books include Germany Unified and Europe Transformed (1995) with Philip Zelikow, The Gorbachev Era (1986) with Alexander Dallin, and Uncertain Allegiance: The Soviet Union and the Czechoslovak Army (1984). She also has written numerous articles on Soviet and East European foreign and defense policy, and has addressed audiences in settings ranging from the U.S. Ambassador's Residence in Moscow to the Commonwealth Club to the 1992 and 2000 Republican National Conventions.
So who are these celebrities? What is their education? What is their experience in affairs of State or in National Security? While I will defend their right to express their opinions, I think that if they are going to call into question the intelligence of our leaders, we should also have all the facts on their education’s and background: (Their career’s are acting/singing.)
Barbara Streisand: Completed high school
Cher: Dropped out of school in 9th grade
Martin Sheen: Flunked exam to enter University of Dayton
Jessica Lange: Dropped out college mid-freshman year.
Alec Baldwin: Dropped out of George Washington U. after scandal
Julia Roberts: Completed high school
Sean Penn: Completed High school
Susan Sarandon: Degree in Drama from Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.
Ed Asner: Completed High school
George Clooney: Dropped out of University of Kentucky
Michael Moore: Dropped out first year University of Michigan. Career: Movie Director
Sarah Jessica Parker: Completed High School
Jennifer Anniston: Completed High School
Mike Farrell: Completed High school
Janeane Garofelo: Dropped out of College. Career: Stand up comedienne
Larry Hagman: Attended Bard College for one year.
While comparing the education and experience of these two groups, we should also remember that President Bush and his cabinet are briefed daily, even hourly, on the War on Terror and threats to our security. They are privy to information gathered around the world concerning the Middle East, the threats to America, and the intentions of terrorists and terrorist-supporting governments. They are in constant communication with the CIA, the FBI, Interpol, NATO, The United Nations, our military, and that of our allies around the world. We cannot simply believe that we have full knowledge of the threats because we watch CNN! We cannot believe that we are in any way as informed as our leaders. These celebrities have no intelligence-gathering agents, no fact-finding groups, and no insight into the minds of those who would destroy our country. They only have a deep-seated hatred for all things Republican.
By nature, and no one knows quite why, the Hollywood elitists detest Conservative views and anything that supports or uplifts the United States of America.
The silence was deafening from the Left when Bill Clinton bombed a pharmaceutical factory outside of Khartoum, or when he attacked the Bosnian Serbs in 1995 and 1999. He bombed Serbia to get Slobodan Milosevic out of Kosovo, and not a single peace rally was held. When our Rangers were ambushed in Somalia and 18 young American lives were lost and not a peep was heard from Hollywood. Yet now, after our nation has been attacked on its own soil, after 3,000 Americans were killed by freedom-hating terrorists while going about their routine lives, they want to hold rallies against the war. Why the change? Because an honest, God-fearing Republican sits in the White House.
Another irony is that in 1987, when Ronald Reagan was in office, the Hollywood group aligned themselves with disarmament groups like SANE, FREEZE and PEACE ACTION, urging our own government to disarm and freeze the manufacturing of any further nuclear weapons, in order to promote world peace. It is curious that now, even after we have heard all the evidence that Saddam Hussein has chemical, biological and is very close to obtaining nuclear weapons, their is no cry from this group for HIM to disarm. They believe we should leave him alone in his quest for these weapons of mass destruction, even though it is certain that these deadly weapons will eventually be used against us in our own cities.
So why the hype out of Hollywood? Could these celebrities believe that since they draw such astronomical salaries, they are entitled to determine the course of our Nation? That they can make viable
decisions concerning war and peace? Did Michael Moore have the backing of the Nation when he recently thanked France, on our behalf, for being a "good enough friend to tell us we were wrong"? I know for certain he
was not speaking for me. Does Sean Penn fancy himself a Diplomat, in going to Iraq when we are just weeks away from war? Does he believe that his High School Diploma gives him the knowledge (and the right)
to go to a country that is controlled by a maniacal dictator, and speak on behalf of the American people? Or is it the fact that he pulls in more money per year than the average American worker will see in a lifetime? Does his bank account give him clout?
The ultimate irony is that many of these celebrities have made a shambles of their own lives, with drug abuse, alcoholism, numerous marriages and divorces, scrapes with the law, publicized temper tantrums, etc. How dare they pretend to know what is best for an entire
nation! What is even more bizarre is how many people in this country will listen and accept their views, simply because they liked them in a certain movie, or have fond memories of an old television sitcom!
It is time for us, as citizens of the United States, to educate ourselves about the world around us. If future generations are going to enjoy the freedoms that our forefathers bequeathed us, if they are ever to know peace in their own country and their world, to live without fear of terrorism striking in their own cities, we must assure that this nation remains strong. We must make certain that those who would destroy us are made aware of the severe consequences that will befall them.
Yes, it is a wonderful dream to sit down with dictators and terrorists and join hands, singing Cumbaya and talking of world peace. But it is not real. We did not stop Adolf Hitler from taking over the entire continent of Europe by simply talking to him. We sent our best and
brightest, with the strength and determination that this Country is known for, and defeated the Nazi regime. President John F. Kennedy did not stop the Soviet ships from unloading their nuclear missiles in Cuba in 1962 with mere words. He stopped them with action, and threat of immediate war if the ships did not turn around. We did not end the Cold War with conferences. It ended with the strong belief of President Ronald Reagan...
Pax per Potens (Peace through Power).
§ A Failed Plan ?
We took Iraq in less time than it took Janet Reno to take the Branch Davidian compound. That was a 51-day operation and she killed ALL of the children.
It took less time to find evidence of chemical weapons in Iraq than it took Hillary Clinton to find the Rose Law Firm billing records.
It took Teddy Kennedy longer to call the police after his Oldsmobile sunk at Chappaquiddick than it took the 3rd Infantry Division and the Marines to destroy the Medina Republican Guard.
And the Democrats called the Iraq effort a failed plan?
= = = = = = =
§ Tradition - Flag folded 13 times
A very interesting, moving and little-known part of our military tradition. Do you know that at military funerals, the 21-gun salute stands for the sum of the numbers in the year 1776? Have you ever noticed the honor guard pays meticulous attention to correctly folding the American flag 13 times? You probably thought it was to symbolize the original 13 colonies, but we learn something new every day!
The 1st fold of our flag is a symbol of life.
The 2nd fold is a symbol of our belief in eternal life.
The 3rd fold is made in honor and remembrance of the veterans departing our ranks who gave a portion of their lives for the defense of our country to attain peace throughout the world.
The 4th fold represents our weaker nature, for as American citizens trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace as well as in time of war for His divine guidance.
The 5th fold is a tribute to our country, for in the words of Stephen Decaur, "Our Country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right; but it is still our country, right or wrong.
The 6th fold is for where our hearts lie. It is with our heart that We pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States Of America, and the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.
The 7th fold is a tribute to our Armed Forces, for it is through the
Armed Forces that we protect our country and our flag against all her enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of our republic.
The 8th fold is a tribute to the one who entered into the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day.
The 9th fold is a tribute to womanhood, and Mothers. For it has been through their faith, their love, loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great has been molded.
The 10th fold is a tribute to the father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for the defense of our country since they were first born.
The 11th fold represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon and glorifies in the Hebrews' eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
The 12th fold represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in the Christians' eyes, God the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit.
The 13th fold, or when the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost reminding us of our nation's motto, "In God We Trust."
After the flag is completely folded and tucked in, it takes on the appearance of a cocked hat, ever reminding us of the soldiers who served under General George Washington, and the Sailors and Marines who served under Captain John Paul Jones, who were followed by their comrades and shipmates in the Armed Forces of the United States, preserving for us the rights, privileges and freedoms we enjoy today.
There are some traditions and ways of doing things that have deep meaning.
In the future, you'll see flags folded and now you will know why.
Share this with the children you love and all others who love the symbol of "Liberty and Freedom
= = = = = = =
§ Shoe Bomber Ruling
Ruling by Judge William Young , U.S. District Court Judge William Young made the following statement in sentencing "shoe bomber" Richard Reid to prison. It is noteworthy, and deserves to be remembered far longer than he predicts.
January 30, 2003 United States vs. Reid.
Judge Young:
“Mr. Richard C. Reid, hearken now to the sentence the Court imposes upon you.
On counts 1, 5 and 6 the Court sentences you to life in prison in the custody of the United States Attorney General.
On counts 2, 3, 4 and 7, the Court sentences you to 20 years in prison on each count, the sentence on each count to run consecutive with the other. That's 80 years.
On count 8, the Court sentences you to the mandatory 30 years consecutive
To the 80 years just imposed. The Court imposes upon you each of the Eight counts a fine of $250,000 for the aggregate fine of $2 million.
The Court accepts the government's recommendation with respect to restitution and orders restitution in the amount of $298.17 to Andre Bousquet and $5,784 to American Airlines.
The Court imposes upon you the $800 special assessment.
The Court imposes upon you five years supervised release simply because The law requires it. But the life sentences are real life sentences so I need go no further.
This is the sentence that is provided for by our statues. It is a fair and just sentence. It is a righteous sentence. Let me explain this to you.
We are not afraid of any of your terrorist co-conspirators, Mr. Reid. We are Americans. We have been through the fire before. There is all too much war talk here. And I say that to everyone with the utmost respect.
Here in this court, where we deal with individuals as individuals, and care for individuals as individuals, as human beings we reach out for justice, you are not an enemy combatant. You are a terrorist. You are not a soldier in any war. You are a terrorist. To give you that reference, to call you a soldier gives you far too much stature. Whether it is the officers of government who do it or your attorney who does it or that happens to be your view, you are a terrorist. And we do not negotiate with terrorists. We do not treat with terrorists. We do not sign documents with terrorists. We hunt them down one by one and bring them to justice.
So war talk is way out of line in this court. You are a big fellow. But you are not that big. You're no warrior. I know warriors. You are a terrorist. A species of criminal guilty of multiple attempted murders.
In a very real sense Trooper Santigo had it right when you first were taken off that plane and into custody and you wondered where the press and where the TV crews were and he said you're no big deal. You're no big deal.
What your counsel, what your able counsel and what the equally able United States attorneys have grappled with and what I have as honestly as I Know how tried to grapple with, is why you did something so horrific. What was it that led you here to this courtroom today? I have listened respectfully to what you have to say. And I ask you to search your heart and ask yourself what sort of unfathomable hate led you to do what you are guilty and admit you are guilty of doing. And I have an answer for you. It may not satisfy you. But as I search this entire record, it comes as close to understanding as I know. It seems to me you hate the one thing that is most precious. You hate our freedom. Our individual freedom. Our individual freedom to live as we choose, to come and go as we choose, to believe or not believe as we individually choose
Here, in this society, the very winds carry freedom. They carry it everywhere from sea to shining sea. It is because we prize individual freedom so much that you are here in this beautiful courtroom. So that everyone can see, truly see that justice is administered fairly, individually, and discretely.
It is for freedom's sake that your lawyers are striving so vigorously on your behalf and have filed appeals, will go on in their representation of you before other judges. We are about it. Because we all know that the way we treat you, Mr. Reid, is the measure of our own liberties. Make no mistake though. It is yet true that we will bear any burden, pay any price, to preserve our freedoms.
Look around this courtroom. Mark it well. The world is not going to long remember what you or I say here. Day after tomorrow it will be forgotten. But this, however, will long endure. Here in this courtroom and courtrooms all across America, the American people will gather to see that justice, individual justice, justice, not war, individual justice is in fact being done.
The very President of the United States through his officers will have to come into courtrooms and lay out evidence on which specific matters can be judged, and juries of citizens will gather to sit and judge that evidence democratically, to mold and shape and refine our sense of justice.
See that flag, Mr. Reid? That's the flag of the United States of America. That flag will fly there long after this is all forgotten. That flag stands for freedom. You know it always will.
Custody Mr. Officer. Stand him down.”
How much of this Judge's comments did you hear on our TV sets?
U.S. Secretary Defense Donald Rumsfeld apologized for referring to France and Germany as an "Axis of Weasels." "I'm sorry about that Axis of Weasels remark," said Mr. Rumsfeld. "I didn't mean to dredge up the history France and Germany share of pathetic compliance with ruthless dictators." The Defense Secretary said he was "way out of bounds" with the comments. "I should have known better than to remind people that these two nations--which live in freedom thanks only to the righteous might of America, Britain and their allies--that these nations are morally and politically bankrupt, and have failed to learn the lessons of history," he said. "It really was an inappropriate thing to say--you know, the Axis of Weasels thing. I really should not have called them the Axis of Weasels. I think it's the 'Weasels' part that was most offensive...you know, when I said that France and Germany form an Axis of Weasels. Of course, I'm so sorry." The Defense Secretary continued, "I want it to be known that no other man holds the weasel in as high a regard as I do, and I'll be the first to point out the crucial role this noble creature plays in our ecosystem. I went way over the line comparing the weasel to a bunch of rude, unwashed, leftist Euroweenie surrender monkeys who change their underwear once a month whether they need to or not.
And I just did it again, didn't I? I just insulted the monkeys. I'm quitting while I'm ahead."
= = = = = = =
§ Military Guidelines
1. "A slipping gear could let your M203 grenade launcher fire when you least expect it. That would make you quite unpopular in what's left of your unit" (Army's magazine of preventive maintenance)
2. "Aim towards the Enemy" - (Instruction printed on US Rocket Launcher)
3. "When the pin is pulled, Mr. Grenade is not our friend" (USMC manual)
4. "Cluster bombing from B-52s is very, very accurate. The bombs always hit the ground." (U.S. Air Force)
5. "If the enemy is in range, so are you." (U.S. Army Infantry Journal)
6. "It is generally inadvisable to eject directly over the area you just bombed." (U.S. Air Force Manual)
7. Whoever said the pen is mightier than the sword obviously never encountered automatic weapons.
8. "Try to look unimportant; they may be low on ammo." (Infantry Journal)
9. "You, you, and you ...Panic. The rest of you, come with me." (U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt.)
10. "Tracers work both ways." (U.S. Army Ordnance manual)
11. "Five second fuses only last three seconds." (U.S. Army Infantry Journal)
12. "If your attack is going too well, you have walked into an ambush." (U.S. Army Infantry Journal)
13. No combat ready unit has ever passed inspection. No inspection ready unit ever survived combat.
14. Don't ever be the first, don't ever be the last, and never ever volunteer to do anything.
15. Never tell the Platoon Sergeant you have nothing to do. (Unknown Marine Recruit)
16. Don't draw fire; it irritates the people around you. (Your Buddies)
17. Mines are equal opportunity weapons.
18. If you find yourself in a fair fight, you didn't plan your mission properly.
19. Waterproof sleeping shelters, aren't.
20. Smokeless powder, isn't.
21. Friendly fire, isn’t.
22. Get your first shot off fast. This may upset your enemy enough to allow you to make your second shot count.
23. Place your clothes and weapons where you can find them in the dark.
24. Courage is the complement of fear. A man who is fearless, cannot be courageous.
25. Peace is an extension of war by political means.
26. You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't count on having both at once.
"To win, you've got to stay in the game."
§ THINGS GOD WON'T ASK
God won't ask what kind of car you drove, but He'll ask how many people you drove who didn't have transportation.
God won't ask the square footage of your house, but He'll ask how many people you welcomed into your home.
God won't ask about the clothes you had in your closet, but He'll ask how many you helped to clothe.
God won't ask what your highest salary was, but He'll ask if you compromised your character to obtain it.
God won't ask what your job title was, but He'll ask if you performed your job to the best of our ability.
God won't ask how many friends you had, but He'll ask how many people to whom you were a friend.
God won't ask in what neighborhood you lived, but He'll ask how you treated your neighbors.
God won't ask about the color of your skin, but He'll ask about the content of your character.
God won't ask why it took you so long to seek Salvation, but He'll lovingly take you to your mansion in heaven, and not to the gates of Hell.
= = = = = = =
§ Ethical Question
In light of the news of the so-called human cloning going on, I have to ask the hypothetical question:
If you pushed your naked clone off the top of a tall building, would it be:
A) murder,
B) suicide, or
C) merely making an obscene clone fall...
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“Let me say just one thing. I am an ordinary Park Avenue matron.” - Al Gore supporter Cinnie Milstein, who was videotaped handing out cigarettes to homeless men who voted.
The newly release book by Hillary! Rodham Clinton certainly has many mistakes (outright fraud is more her style) but the most obvious to me is the title, it should be: “I Can’t Recall.”
I’m done for now, thank you for your indulgence and I’ll see you at the Range. Jamesbertrand@msn.com