Second Amendment, Truckers, Neo Cons and Hate!

Second Amendment, Truckers, Neo Cons and Hate!

Posted on Jul 28, 2008 in News & Views, Opinions by PMC 2 Comments

With all the vitriolic hatred being thrown about against Mexicans, whether legal or illegal and the celebration of the recent Supreme Court ruling concerning the Second Amendment and the NRA’s stated goal of unrestricted gun ownership, once again violence has been visited upon innocents.

In Knoxville Tennessee on Sunday, Jim D. Adkisson, 58, an unemployed truck driver, carrying a 12 gauge semi-automatic shotgun and 76 rounds of ammunition, entered the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church in Knoxville Tennessee during a childrens performance of the musical “Annie” and opened fire, apparently with no particular person targeted, before being tackled and disarmed by members of the congregation.

2 people were killed including an usher who used his body to shield others from the attack. 5 remain in area hospitals in serious to critical condition.

Church members praised Greg McKendry, 60, who died as he attempted to block the gunfire. Barbara Kemper said that McKendry “stood in the front of the gunman and took the blast to protect the rest of us.”

Kemper said the gunman shouted before he opened fire.

“It was hateful words. He was saying hateful things,” she said, refusing to elaborate.

“Greg McKendry was a very large gentleman, one of those people you might describe as a refrigerator with a head,” said church member Schera Chadwick. “He looked like a football player. He did obviously stand up and put himself in between the shooter and the congregation.”

Adkisson is being held in the Knox County Jail under “suicide watch” and $1 million dollar bail.

“It appears that what brought him to this horrible event was his lack of being able to obtain a job, his frustration over that and his stated hatred of the liberal movement,” Knoxville Police Chief Sterling Owen said at a news conference.

The Unitarian-Universalist church promotes progressive social work, including advocacy of women and gay rights. The Knoxville congregation also has provided sanctuary for political refugees, fed the homeless and founded a chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, according to its Web site.

Unitarians have roots in a movement that rejected Puritan orthodoxy in New England. Although the outlook and beliefs of individual Unitarian churches can vary dramatically, most congregations retain a deep commitment to social justice, which has led them to embrace liberal positions over the years. Unitarians were among the first to ordain women, support the civil rights movement and back gay rights.

So what does this tragedy have to do with Mexico, Mexico trucks and other subjects on this blog? Everything and absolutely nothing!

Here you have a right wing hater of liberal ideas, who like most you hear ranting against illegal immigrations, “Build a Wall”, deport them all, nonsense such as that, cannot accept responsibility for his own failure in life and tries to commit “suicide by cop”

Owen said the letter indicated Adkisson, who neighbors said had previously worked as a truck driver, did not expect to leave the church alive. He added the man also reported having no family or next-of-kin.

“He certainly intended to take a lot of casualties,” Owen said. “He had 76 rounds with him.”

An unemployed truck driver? The question begs to be answered why he couldn’t find a job in an industry that is crying for help. Perhaps he didn’t want to make the effort to look, instead relying on the bullshit being passed as facts on the afternoon and overnight trucking whine sessions on XM-171 and XM-173. Those Bozos try to convince American truckers that Mexicans are taking their jobs. Can perhaps some of the blame be put on these “Trucking Bozos” for putting these thoughts in the weak minds of some? Perhaps!

While I agree with the recent decision of the Supreme Court, long overdue, I might add, affirming the intent of the Second Amendment to the US Constitution, I do not believe the Justices nor the framers of the Constitution intended for weapons to be made available to anyone who desired one, without regulation nor restriction as the NRA intends to see happen. Can the National Rifle Association be blamed for the actions of this individual? Perhaps!

How about personal responsibility for ones actions, for the course ones life takes. Should Jim D. Adkisson have taken responsibility for the actions that brought him to the door of the church yesterday? He should have, but like most right wingers, he chose to blame his fucked up existance and his subsequent action on liberal ideas and beliefs.

As I sit here thinking and writing this, I can’t think of one instance in Mexico, in recent history where a person have invaded a house of worship and opened fire indiscriminately. In the US, it is becoming common place.

How many school massacres have occurred in Mexico in recent memory? None!

How many families have been destroyed by domestic violence involving a firearm? Very few!

Mexico has stict gun control laws and they are enforced. That is not to say many families don’t keep firearms for personal protection, but they think many times before using them.

The cartels don’t enter into this discussion.

Who else can we pin the blame on since in American society today, it is easier to blame someone else rather than taking an intraspective look at ourselves?

The good misguided folks who lobby for immigration reform while in reality they don’t want any immigration should shoulder some of the blame for pushing their bullshit views on anyone who will listen. Usually the weak minded who need others to tell them what to think. Lou Dobbs, Willy Cunningham and others share the blame!

How about the Jerry Falwells, Joel Osteens and other who preach thinly disguised racism under the guise of religion? Certainly they share part of the blame.

And the rest of us? Let’s just blame it on the Mexicans and get on with our lives!

Tags: conservatism, Gun Rights, Neo Cons