November 2, 2008

i hunted today and i vote

This post stems from my receipt of a flyer last week asking for support for Sandy Treadwell, but like all political advertising was more of an attack on Kirsten Gillibrand. the point of the flyer was that Gillibrand, like Obama, supports tougher bans on guns and ammunition and therefore i should not vote for her. funding for the flyer came from the NRA . now this caused me to research what the national rifle association has to say about the upcoming election. flashing in my mind is the bumper sticker commonly seen on pick up trucks, "I belong to the NRA and I Vote". So, basically, what the NRA is saying is Obama is going to be the toughest anti-gun president yet. They point out, as if it is a negative quality that he will stiffen the rules regarding licensing, concealed carrying and waiting periods not only to purchase handguns, but most other weapons too. In my opinion, none of the stricter guidelines will drastically affect legitimate hunters and after all, the hunters I know don't use 9mm glocks to shoot game to feed their families. Hunters can get the job done without having armor piercing ammunition and if they plan ahead for the season, I bet if they had to abide by a waiting period to purchase a rifle, that too would work. If law enforcement officers were the only one's with access to handguns and only hunters used rifles, we could continue to rely on laws that were passed before the year 1800. However, back then, kids were taking time off from school to hunt...not bringing semi-automatic weapons to school to kill their classmates. In the 1800's there weren't drug dealers with bigger arsenals of weapons than the police....society has changed folks.

That said, in a desperate attempt to get out in the woods today for a "hike", I participated in my first "hunting drive". It was pretty much like slowly bushwhacking through the woods, having to pay close attention to where the other drivers are and not getting ahead of the "sweep" of the woods you are trying to make to "kick up" some deer. Sadly, I am admitting that I was actually kinda into it. Except it was more fun if I thought of it as searching for bad guys rather than a poor deer. I also liked learning how to do it from my son, who was carrying a .20 gauge shotgun. I don't have a hunting license but I guess I should carry a gun while I still can. After Tuesday we might have a President who'll make me (and all the bad guys) wait.
P.S. ironically, the NRA called our house tonight wanting my husband to buy a membership. do they know somehow that I was sniffing around their website last night? Anyway, the two wannabe activists in our house shouted out "go Obama" making the woman chuckle a bit on the other end of the phone as my husband tried to graciously get off the phone with her before we further embarrassed him.

5 comments:

Cedar ... said...

It's always amazing how statements can get twisted to fit the needs of those printing the message brochure. As a woman from a long line of hunters "gun control" has never worried me. I get it that it's for the weapons on the streets and in the schools, not those on a deer drive. I favor gun control, and it won't affect my family negatively, only add some protection where it is needed.

Anonymous said...

Corin.... Very cool picture of greg - I love it! Could you sell that to the NRA? - I hope they didn't call your house because you were searching - kinda spooky...

Jennifer W said...

I just watched Bambi with the kiddo this weekend. I was trying to distract her from the gunshot and the "Your mother cannot be with you anymore" but it freaked her out that I was weeping. Then I asked Mark, "hey...did that guy have a doe permit???" And he said, "Not in the spring, he didn't".

I am going to remind my self that vension is very tasty indeed, so as to not equate you in my mind with the POACHER in Bambi.

corin said...

Umm...ok, i never thought about whether that bastard hunter had a doe permit...was it southern zone? Where is DEC when you need them...

Winter Warlock said...

Very well said...too many people equate gun control with hunting control, which is rarely the case. Responsible hunting is responsible - and that generally means environmentally, socially, and any other way appropriate.