Independence Day is right around the corner and this year we’ve got a little something extra to celebrate. Thanks to some pro-liberty Arizona Legislators and our Governor, there will be a significant increase in shiny things during our 4th of July festivities.
Late last year, Arizona bill HB 2246 went into effect, and a variety of “non-aerial” consumer fireworks became legal. Not perfect, but a good start to restoring the liberties and freedoms that Government Gone Wild so casually and continually strips from its citizens. The law includes a provision that allows incorporated cities and towns to regulate fireworks in their jurisdiction, and as soon as the law passed, many of the liberal leaning, nanny cities immediately banned their use. Fortunately, we live in one of the few cities where common sense still pokes its head out from time to time, and we are permitted to have fun with approved fireworks on our property from June 28th to July 4th, and again from December 30th to January 1st. Again, not perfect, but something to build upon.
Another positive effect of the legalization of fireworks in Arizona? Capitalism at its finest. Small and large tents are popping up all over town selling these “approved” fireworks. The jobs created by our new freedoms are sorely needed, as Arizona’s official unemployment rate is currently 9.3 percent.
Economic liberty breeds capitalism. Capitalism creates jobs. Jobs create a healthy economy.
Gunblogger Bob Owens, a writer for Bob’s Gun Counter and Confederate Yankee blogs, has put his money-where-his-mouth-is for what is right. Like many of us, Bob has been following the Congressional hearings into the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (BATFE, also known as ATF) critically flawed and “unconventional investigation” into weapons smuggling into Mexico. The “investigation” is known as Operation Fast & Furious, Project Gunrunner, and a few other names that obscure how broad the investigation’s failures actually are. Congressman Darrell Issa has referred to Operation Fast & Furious as “felony stupid”. Bob believes, like many others, that the operation wasn’t just stupid.
How unconventional was the investigation?
ATF, with the cooperation of the Department of Justice and other Federal agencies, decided that the best way to stop the flow of smuggled weapons from the United States into Mexico was to ship more weapons. A few thousand more weapons!
Bob has extensively covered scandals like the death of Marine veteran Jose Guereña at the hands of the Pima County SWAT team, as well as extensively covering Operation Fast & Furious, Project Gunrunner. This time, he has filed a written request with the Federal Government’s Office of Special Counsel, requesting the appointment of an independent Special Prosecutor to investigate the failed operation that lead to the deaths of at least three U.S. law enforcement officers, as many as 150 Mexican law enforcement officers, and possibly thousands of Mexican citizens.
Why would you call that laying it on the line?
Well, Bob is presumably a gun owner, who is certainly in the United States, petitioning his government to seek redress in a case of government wrong-doing. A wrong-doing that at a minimum is:
Negligent “felony stupid” that deserves jail time for responsible parties.
A blunder caused by an abuse of political power used to pursue an anti-gun agenda “by any means necessary”
Or at worst, corruption of U.S. government officials that we could only imagine happening in Mexico.
Whatever the level of corruption, it is so important that Attorney General Eric Holder and other high ranking officials have risked Contempt charges by refusing to turn over documents and otherwise cooperate in the Congressional investigation.
Our hats are off to you!
We here at GreatSatanInc.com salute Bob in taking a stand against this horrific injustice, perpetrated by government officials who allegedly serve the citizens. When the stakes are this high, it takes courage to stand up for what is right. May God bless you and keep you safe, Bob. You are doing the right thing!
I’m very excited to be attending another Friends of NRA event tonight, this one sponsored by the Central Arizona chapter. Am I hoping to win another fine firearm like the one we won last year at this same event? Not this time.
I WANT THE TOASTER.
It’s not just a toaster. It not only creates a perfectly golden and crispy treat, it also brands the NRA logo on to each slice. The toaster was part of the live auction at the last Friends of NRA dinner we attended earlier this year, but because it was part of a special, larger auction (the high bidder of the toaster also won a chance at a DPMS AR-15), the toaster commanded a hefty sum. The final bid was $375.00. For a toaster. Ouch.
I’ve got my fingers crossed that the toaster makes another appearance tonight, this time without any other offers that will drive the price beyond my reach. Wish me luck!
I’ve heard some carping about the presence of Bimbo’s in East Tennessee during the LuckyGunner.com blog shoot. As a service to our readers, I thought I should set the record straight about Bimbo’s in East Tennessee.
Yes, it’s true, I saw Bimbo’s in Tennessee.
I have to confess, I entered Bimbo’s while I was there and it was a blindingly explosive and satisfying experience. The variety was pretty good, something for just about anyone.
The breasts were hot, firm, and juicy, but a bit too big for a guy my size. What can I say, it was late at night, I had consumed a frosty beverage and I had an uncontrollable urge that needed to be satisfied.
Bimbo's Fireworks, Gas Station, and Travel Center
I wanted some fireworks and there was no way I was going to travel to the South without getting some properly fried chicken. The Bimbo’s chicken dinner was just what I needed for a late night snack.
There’s been some interwebs chatter about the Ammo waitresses provided by LuckyGunner.com at their 2011 Memorial Day Weekend Blogger Shoot last weekend. Since I was there, and I have lady parts, I believe I am Uniquely Qualified™ to put my two cents in about this contrived kerfuffle.
A fellow female gun blogger (who was not present at the event) recently took some shots at LuckyGunner and the ammo waitresses they provided us. Said blogger likened the young ladies to booth babes, opined that LuckyGunner created an “optics problem” by including the attractive ammo ladies as part of the event, and then speculated that these ladies are a deterrent to attracting women to the shooting sports.
Hogwash!
The only thing I’ve seen relating to this event that might discourage a woman from learning to shoot has been uninformed commentary from another blogger that couldn’t possibly have come to their conclusion if they had attended the shoot.
Since I started shooting two years ago, I’ve attended two Babes With Bullets camps and several classes and practices with HerHandgun here in Arizona, where I’ve listened to upwards of 70 ladies tell their story about how and why they started shooting. Not once have I heard a story of reluctance to learn to shoot because of good-ol-boys, booth babes or women dressed in sleeveless polo shirts and skorts. The overwhelming majority of these women cited intimidation of firearms (ranging from generalized fear to downright phobia), a lack of confidence (think the opposite of empowered) and physical issues that they thought would impede their use of a firearm.
The three ladies that assisted us with our ammo needs were no different. I overheard one of the girls say that she had never shot before, and she was considering taking the plunge. I was so glad to see that they not only took the plunge, they did it with some of the most intimidating and rare weapons around (you rock, ladies!). I can see why someone might be a bit jealous that they missed out on shooting these fine firearms, I know my shooty friends were.
The LuckyGunner ammo girls were an asset to the event and I am most appreciative of their hard work, dedication and professionalism at the Blogger Shoot. They spent the better part of two days schlepping ammo up and down hills, across the approximately 150 yard wide firing line in heat and humidity so high it should be illegal. I know I couldn’t have done it (my lawn – you. off. now.), and I am very grateful that they were there to enhance the already epic experience.
Mz. VRWC and I went to the Lucky Gunner.com Blogger shoot, near Knoxville, Tennessee and had an amazing adventure. The blog shoot was part of BulletFest 2011, a full-auto, car shootin’, appliance killing, Tannerite laced cacophony, held in support of the Wounded Warrior Project.
Lucky Gunner offered us free ammo, a chance to shoot a few machine guns, social time with other gun bloggers and a few surprises. If the event was half as good as it appeared, we figured it would be worth it to fly out from Arizona to Tennessee.
It would be a tremendous understatement to say that Lucky Gunner under-promised and over-delivered on this event. They were even thoughtful enough to provide us with “ammo waitresses”, who would get us ammo and water, so we never had to leave the firing line.
We started off with an informal meet-and-greet at a local pizza place on Friday night, where we heard rumors of tanks and other surprises. We also got to meet many of the people we would be shooting alongside. We had great conversations with Mike from Firearms Anonymous and his Army buddy, Fill Yer Hands, Reverend Kenn Blanchard, M.J. Mollenhour and Angela from LuckyGunner.
As we pulled into the range, it suddenly became clear that we were falling down the rabbit hole and into the gunny version of Wonderland. We were overwhelmed at the amount of machine guns, military hardware, ammo, smoke, noise, and hospitality available.
The 9mm subcompact and 1911 in .45 ACP that I brought along seemed inadequate compared to what was available to shoot. As I vaguely recall, I shot a lot of machine guns, including a BAR, M16s in various calibers and configurations, HKs, grease guns, and…then it all turns into one smoky blur of bullet sprayers, exploding appliances, and carbeques. I lost track of how many full-auto guns I shot in the first day. By the end of the day, I had even shot a civil war cannon!
There were tanks, half tracks, artillery, an EODT attack dog demonstration, guests of honor, and Veterans, appreciation for what our service men and women have faced for our country, great conversation, ammo waitresses, chicks with guns, handgun training, Gunnie Awards, and too way much fun to describe in just one blog post. We didn’t even get to meet all of the bloggers.
Guests of Honor at Bullet Fest 2011
We’ll be posting more about the blog shoot and giving shoutouts to more of the participants and link love to new friends. Until then, check out Rob Reed‘s compilation video of the blog shoot.
Independence Day is right around the corner and this year we’ve got a little something extra to celebrate. Thanks to some pro-liberty Arizona Legislators and our Governor, there will be a significant increase in shiny things during our 4th of July festivities.
Another positive effect of the legalization of fireworks in Arizona? Capitalism at its finest. Small and large tents are popping up all over town selling these “approved” fireworks. The jobs created by our new freedoms are sorely needed, as Arizona’s official unemployment rate is currently 9.3 percent.
