When are you an adult? 18 or 21? Make up you mind, America!

Just so we're straight on this, I'm 58. None of what I'm about to spew out applies to me. But it does matter to me and gives me a pause with concern.

Right now, today, if a young person is 18 they are considered an adult...sort of.

They can: drive a car, vote, get married, have a child in or out of wedlock, enter into a legally binding contract and so on and so on and so on. Okay, got it?

They can also join one of our armed forces and serve (and potentially die) for their country. Kind of a biggie in my mind.

Now, they cannot legally buy or consume alcohol (though they can die for their country...kind of odd, but okay)! They still drink (some/most of them) and they still drive cars so I can see where you'd want them a little more mature before you give them access to liquor stores...sort of.

They cannot buy handguns and soon (if some people have their way) they will not be able to purchase certain other weapons until the age of 21. Some stores have already "self" implemented these policies.

But we still allow them to vote? Huh!

What is the age of majority in this country of ours (the USA)? Can someone please explain to me this sliding scale in a way that makes any sense?

Teens and 3,000# vehicles have always been a bad mix. Teens and alcohol can lead to trouble in a lot of settings. We all know what happens when angry or depressed teens get their hands on guns. And let's face it, most 18 year-olds understand as much about legal contracts as I do about using Pinterest (and that ain't much)!

However, the problem should be obvious to all: If an 18-year-old is an adult, then they're an adult. If you want them to be 21 before they have access to all these great things that we adults get to have, then make it 21. But this odd mixture has to go!

If they can enter the military then these people deserve to drink, and the right to buy whatever firearms are legal for the rest of us to purchase. I do not believe it's fair to give them some rights, but not all rights.

I believe our legislators need our help in solving this issue. Our children deserve a clean, uncluttered path to adulthood. Quite frankly I don't care what age is chosen (my youngest is 30 and served 8 years in the USMC). Just give them everything they deserve and don't keep certain parts of adulthood hidden from them behind "curtain #3" until they turn some other magical age.

What do you think? I want to hear from you on this! Please comment below.


Until next time,

e a lake

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Big Brother 2

This example of Big Brother meddling in your lives borders on stupidity! And the worst part is that people are doing it willingly.

The other day my wife was buying a bottle of wine at the liquor store. The clerk told her that as of January 1, 2018 they had to scan ID's on all liquor sales. Okay, seemed reasonable. I mean it's an easy solution to the store's liability in underage sales to minors. I get it.

But wait -- the punchline is coming.

I asked the clerk how fast the database they were creating got transferred to the State of Minnesota. She shrugged it away and made some kind of comment about why would the State want to look at their database. As far as she knew it went into some great void that was never touched again.

Really?

Really?

REALLY?!

Let's not be stupid, people. If they've said ID's need to be collected on all liquor sales you can be darn sure the State has interest in that information. I mean, why else would they be collecting it?

Maybe liquor is the first of many steps. I can envision some time in the future going to buy a box of shells for my deer rifle and being asked for my ID so it can be scanned. Such a thing would help create a database of all of my weapons, submitted willingly by me each time I buy a different box of ammunition.

Starting to see the problem? Yeah!

Gun registration has its pitfalls. I can always buy a gun from a neighbor willing to part with one. I can inherit them from my family. And what about people who might steal my guns? None of these examples fall under the current gun registration laws.

You register your vehicles, your boats, your cell phones, your internet and now your alcohol purchases. Your pets are registered; even your children and yourself are all in some humungous government database.

And you've done it all willingly; never batting an eye or raising any concern as you did so. Thus, when they start asking for your ID to buy ammunition, don't be surprised. Just be a good sheeple and hand them your government issued ID. They'll thank you for your cooperation -- one way or another.

Do you have thoughts on this subject? If so, please comment on this post. I love hearing from free thinking people.


Until next time,

e a lake

Big Brother 1

Here's a sign I saw in the Twin Cities a few days ago. It made me shake my head.

Was the State of Minnesota really telling me when to put gas in my car? And were they saying this so poor, old, stupid me wouldn't be out in the smog that I could clearly see? Or were they saying it because it was best for the environment? Or was there some other reason at play?

I appreciate the government worrying about my health (though it really is none of their business). I also appreciate them helping to remind citizens that the air was bad that day.

However, the role of government is not -- and never has been -- to tell me when I can and can't put gas in my car... or go outside ... or drive... or anything else that infringes on my personal liberties.

It's like the signs you see sometimes on the side of the road reminding you not to text. You know the ones; they usually have some clever slogan on them.

"Don't drive distracted."
"Drop the phone because I said so - Mom."
And my favorite...
"Texting and driving... It can wait!"

All they really need to say is something like what I saw in Wisconsin this past summer.

"Texting while driving is a $300 fine."

There, isn't that nice and to the point? Don't waste your time on snappy slogans ("this is your brain on drugs" was a huge failure); just give it to us straight. Trust me, we can handle the truth.

What are your feelings on the subject? I'd really like to hear from you. Am I over-reacting? Or am I simply pointing out another case of the government acting like Orwell's Big Brother? 

You all know where I stand!


Later people,

e a lake

Come'on, Get Serious!

Gun control. There's a nice hot-button topic for this week. Too hot? Okay, how about we discuss liberals and conservatives? Or perhaps I can tell you all about Jesus. No??? Okay, gun control it is.

We already have gun control...sort of

If you own certain guns, you are aware of an issue plaguing your shooting ability. It's called ammunition shortages. No bullets means no projectiles. Thus, gun violence control.

Over the past number of years, certain calibers have been mighty hard to come by. These include all handgun sizes, mini 30 rounds, and still (to this day) all 22 caliber bullets. Coincidentally, these calibers are the most likely to be used in violence involving guns.

Well played, Mr. Government (or as some call you - Big Brother)

If you can't get ammunition for your weapon, it's hard to commit a crime with your gun, right? Well, sort of.

There's two sides to this. Most criminals can't legally own a weapon. Thus, the black market fills that need. The same is most likely true for the ammo they use in these illegally obtained weapons. 

The flip side is that law abiding sportsmen and women can't get the ammunition they so dearly desire. That's a problem for those of us who legally possess, safely store, and use weapons for non-violent purposes. And it's not fair.

Pay Attention now - this next point is important

Criminals are going to get their weapons, and ammunition for those weapons, no matter what the government does. A lot of people don't want to face the harsh truth, but that's the way I see it.

So why do I, Mr. Law Abiding Citizen, have the pay the price (and a false price in my mind) for a policy that doesn't work? People drive drunk all the time. People drive with their cell phones plastered in their face - all the time! I do neither. Is the government going to take away my car, or tighten control on gas supplies, so that people can't drive as much? Or perhaps they will ban the sale of alcohol (already tried, didn't work) or cell phones. Of course the government won't do either of these. And far more people die every year in auto crashes compared to gun violence.

There is a solution; It just needs to be well thought out

I don't have an answer for you today. I'm sorry. But I don't believe that limiting gun and ammunition sales will not necessarily bring a sudden halt to the gun violence that plagues us on an almost daily basis. If everyone, on both sides of the issue, will settle down and discuss this calmly and rationally, something can be done. We can all be winners here.

Two things that will help

1. Forbid the sale of ammunition to convicted felons. Note: not the overall supply, just the illegal selling of it. I am not opposed to having some sort of registry process (like a membership card) for buying bullets. I'm not sure how it will work, but I think it's a start.

2. We must, I mean have to, provide better care for our mental health patients. No matter how you feel about ObamaCare, it still misses the mark on addressing this issue. We are all getting hurt here, people. 

I know we have a problem. And I know there are answers out there. But knee-jerk reactions from both sides will not help. We have an opportunity to do great work here; our representatives in Washington need to get more serious about all of this.

In the post-apocalyptic future found in my WWIV series, there are still plenty of guns. But each year that the darkness passes, ammunition becomes more and more scarce. Dysentery will kill more people in this fictional future than guns. Many, many more. That's why I write from time to time about clean drinking water.

None of this is easy people, but we have to try. At least that's how I feel.

e a lake

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