50-65

I'll soap box a little further....the confederate flag is a flag of treason. Today, we'd probably have branded them terrorists. Today, the founding fathers of this country would be branded terrorists.

While slavery was the driving issue of the civil war, the greater issue was that of states rights to govern themselves vs an overbearing central government. The Confederate flag is a symbol of a war lost. I don't believe that slavery as it existed in the 1860's was morally correct. Unfortunately, the greater issue was also lost as we have seen in the 150 years since, especially in the last 7 years as the central government has taken or attempts to take over nearly every aspect of our lives. Not through the legislative branch as designed, but through the judicial and executive branches and the regulatory agencies that have no oversight. I have a Confederate flag. I am not a racist. I think there are those that want to make it a symbol, a cause if you will, of an unjust time in our history. The leftist, socialist elites that permeate our society are intentionally sowing strife and discord between the races. That flag has a place in our history. I, and others, may not agree with your reason(s) for displaying it, but I support your right to it. Will the government next try to abolish use of the Gadsden flag as a symbol of those that do not agree with their overreach? And after that? This country needs to wake up and people need to open their eyes to what is going on and what's going to happen.

Societies exist under three forms, sufficiently distinguishable: (1) without government, as among our Indians; (2) under governments, wherein the will of everyone has a just influence, as is the case in England, in a slight degree, and in our states, in a great one; (3) under governments of force, as is the case in all other monarchies, and in most of the other republics. To have an idea of the curse of existence under these last, they must be seen. It is a government of wolves over sheep. It is a problem, not clear in my mind, that the first condition is not the best. But I believe it to be inconsistent with any great degree of population. The second state has a great deal of good in it. The mass of mankind under that enjoys a precious degree of liberty and happiness. It has its evils, too, the principal of which is the turbulence to which it is subject. But weigh this against the oppressions of monarchy, and it becomes nothing. Malo periculosam libertatem quam quietam servitutem. Even this evil is productive of good. It prevents the degeneracy of government and nourishes a general attention to the public affairs. I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical. Unsuccessful rebellions, indeed, generally establish the encroachments on the rights of the people which have produced them. An observation of this truth should render honest republican governors so mild in their punishment of rebellions as not to discourage them too much. It is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government. Thomas Jefferson, 1787 The British ministry have so long hired their gazetteers to repeat and model into every form lies about our being in anarchy, that the world has at length believed them, the English nation has believed them, the ministers themselves have come to believe them, & what is more wonderful, we have believed them ourselves. Yet where does this anarchy exist? Where did it ever exist, except in the single instance of Massachusetts? And can history produce an instance of a rebellion so honourably conducted? I say nothing of it's motives. They were founded in ignorance, not wickedness. God forbid we should ever be 20 years without such a rebellion. The people cannot be all, & always, well informed. The past which is wrong will be discontented in proportion to the importance of the facts they misconceive; if they remain quiet under such misconceptions it is a lethargy, the forerunner of death to the public liberty. We have had 13 states independent 11 years. There has been one rebellion. That comes to one rebellion in a century & a half for each state. What country before ever existed a century & half without a rebellion? & What country can preserve it's liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon & pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots & tyrants. It is its natural manure. Thomas Jefferson, 1787 The worst of rebels never arm To do their king or country harm, But draw their swords to do them good, As doctors cure by letting blood.-Samuel Butler

And the one that signed it should be. How can you "clean up corruption" in Albany as he has promised many times to do when you are one of the biggest offenders. Like father, like son.

In the Poughkeepsie Journal today, an article confirms what has been long suspected. Compliance with the "SAFE" Act as far as registering newly (albeit incorrectly) defined "assault weapons" is at about 4%. After FOIL requests asking for information about the registration were denied, S.C.O.P.E. sued for the information. Although no one can say for sure how many "assault weapons" are in NY, it is widely assumed to be 1,000,000 or more. About 44,000 have been registered on a little over 25,000 applications. Maybe, just maybe, everyone is in compliance. Those that kept theirs registered them and everyone else sold them out of state as required. As we have seen since the "SAFE" act was passed (in the middle of the night, without debate, in violation of the state constitution), there has been a tremendous decrease in the crimes committed with these "dangerous" weapons. Don't you feel much safer now? FUAC

http://patch.com/florida/brandon/boys-rush-burning-home-save-babies-0 The 2 boys entered the burning home rescuing two infants, then called 911. Two other children were found in the home by arriving firefighters and have been hospitalized.

http://patch.com/pennsylvania/radnor/teen-firefighter-hits-double-then-saves-umpires-life-0

Are there any hunters/shooters here that reload their own? My last two large orders, I double ordered some components so I have some supplies available for sale. PM me if you are interested.

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.....Remember.

For me personally, I drop by from time to time. Sometimes days in a row, sometimes not for weeks. I'm just not that active in the fire and ems community anymore. It wouldn't affect me one way or another what happens to this forum. But what others have said, social media, of which I do not participate, has largely replaced a lot of these types of forums

Orange County 911 had been putting out pages for any departments that could supply brush equipment and at least 2 firefighters.

I hear Al Sharpton is going to lead a rally condenming this and Obama will send a White House representative to the funeral.

As an example, in NYS, this rifle, a Ruger 10/22, is legal: If I add this stock, it becomes an "assault weapon" under current NY law.

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