Rude Awakenings

United States Constitution

SECOND AMENDMENT. A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

 

NINTH AMENDMENT. The enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Washington State Constitution

SECTION 24 RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS. The right of the individual citizen to bear arms in defense of himself, or the state, shall not be impaired, but nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing individuals or corporations to organize, maintain or employ an armed body of men.

 

SECTION 30 RIGHTS RESERVED. The enumeration in this Constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny others retained by the people.

WASHINGTON CEASEFIRE

Ralph Fascitelli is the president of Washington CeaseFire, the statewide nonprofit group dedicated to reducing gun violence.

I joined Washington CeaseFire after the Columbine school shootings in Littleton, Colo., which took place seven years ago today. As a parent of two kids in high school, I wanted to do something to prevent that type of event from happening here. I failed, as last month our own Columbine event happened on Capitol Hill. In both cases, a deranged loner or two with an affinity for assault weapons carried out a horrific massacre of innocent children and adults.

...

Washington CeaseFire and other organizations are not trying to take away handguns or hunting rifles from law-abiding citizens. We are not even challenging their antiquated and questionable claims of Second Amendment rights. We and thousands of others are just trying to save innocent lives with middle-ground, common-sense laws. There should be no reason why CeaseFire and the gun lobby in this state can't come together for the common good. (Source)

Washington CeaseFire has lobbied the State Legislature for the past 5 years to require background checks at gun shows, calling it their number one legislative priority.  Currently, thousands of firearms are sold at gun shows in Washington State with no questions asked and no background checks required.  There are approximately 60 gun shows held throughout Washington State every year. (Source)

I was going to write a piece on my right to own a gun, what protections exist in state and federal constitutions, and a few choice words telling Seattle's mayor, chief of police, and Ralph Fascitelli to go to hell. Then I ran across this article explaining how the NSA has been compiling a massive database of every phone call I've made, every email I've sent, and more than likely, every website I've visited. But it's not just me. It's every American that uses the AT&T, Verizon, or BellSouth networks. The NSA claims that all of this information was added to a massive database to help them create associations and develop patterns to aid them in tracking terrorists. Click here to learn more about Total "Terrorism" Information Awareness (TIA).

I'm so completely upset by this that I've decided not to write anything further today for fear that my emotions may get the best of me. I'm afraid I'll say something I may regret. What's the saying? Cooler heads will prevail.