Author: Kim du Toit

Historical Voice Stilled Forever

History, Tragedy

I see with extreme regret that historian Paul Johnson has died.  Shit.

There is a very good case that Johnson’s History Of The American People should be required source material for high school U.S. History classes.

And his History Of The Jews and History Of Christianity (along with Jacques Barzun’s From Dawn To Decadence) should be part of World History classes in both high school and university curricula.

Oh, for heaven’s sake:  if you read all of Paul Johnson’s history books and absorb just a third of the material, you’ll still be one of the most educated people on the planet.

He will most definitely be missed.

RFI: Actually, A Couple Of Them

Advice, The Gun Thing

RFI #1:  Someone said they had a spare M1 Carbine extractor floating around.  Please email me so we can arrange delivery, payment etc.   I managed to get hold of a G.I. Armorer’s Manual for the gun, so I can probably install it myself.

RFI #2:  I need to get a shotgun for much later in the year, but I’ll have to part with one of my old WWII-era bolties to pay for it.  The shotgun will probably be the CZ Bobwhite SxS G2 (20ga) which runs about $700, what with with all the paperwork and shipping involved:

As for the bolties… hell, this will be like parting with a child.  If anyone’s at all interested in one, let me know by email and I’ll reply with pics of the guns you can choose from (because I can’t make up my mind).  Obviously, Texas Readers will get first kick because of the hassle-free transaction / no shipping cost / plus free ammo.  Obviously too, I will entertain offers from anywhere in the lower 48, but without the ammo, which would require separate shipping ergo cost.

Think on it, I beg you.

Heads, Meet Brick Wall

Anti-Gun Nannies, Resistance, The Gun Thing

You have to hand it to the Gun Control Party*:  they never seem to realize that the liquid running into their eyes is blood from continuously beating their fool heads against the wall of conservative, Second Amendment-loving Texas.

Courtesy of the Texas State Rifle Association (TSRA), here’s their latest laundry list of wishful thinking:

  • House Bill 22, House Bill 106, House Bill 284, House Bill 324 & House Bill 662 requiring the REPORTING OF LAWFUL SALES of certain firearms and magazines to state and/or local law enforcement. [nope]
  • House Bill 76 & Senate Bill 172 CRIMINALIZING the failure of a victim of gun theft to report having his or her firearms stolen. [unenforceable, according to the State Police]
  • House Bill 88 & House Bill 447 further TAXING the sale of firearms and/or ammunition and firearms accessories. [higher taxes? in Texas? lol]
  • House Bill 110, House Bill 146, House Bill 308 & Senate Bill 360 BANNING private firearms transfers at gun shows. [was that a unicorn I just saw?]
  • House Bill 123, House Bill 136 & Senate Bill 144 so-called “red flag” GUN CONFISCATION legislation requiring firearms surrender without due process. [no due process… yeah, maybe they could get away with that in Illinois]
  • House Bill 129, House Bill 565, House Bill 761, House Bill 781, House Bill 925, House Bill 996, House Bill 1072, Senate Bill 32 & Senate Bill 145 RAISING THE AGE for firearms sales, restricting firearms transfers to, or purchases by, young adults. [lowering the age would have more chance of passing]
  • House Bill 155, House Bill 236, Senate Bill 170 & Senate Bill 370 BANNING private firearms transfers between certain family members and friends, requiring FFLs to process these transactions that would include federal paperwork for government approval at an undetermined fee. [yeah, we just love getting the feds’ noses stuck in our bidness in Texas]
  • House Bill 817, House Bill 925 & Senate Bill 32 BANNING the manufacture, sale, purchase or possession of commonly-owned semi-automatic rifles, pistols and shotguns. [there aren’t enough body bags to enforce this little wet dream]
  • House Bill 197 & House Bill 632 BANNING the sale or transfer and possession of standard capacity magazines that hold more than 10 rounds. [see the point above]
  • House Bill 179, House Bill 216 & House Bill 244 RESTRICTING long gun open carry, with limited exceptions. [you mean, over and above the restrictions we already have, and that most Texans hate like poison and mostly ignore?]
  • House Bill 298 establishes a 3-day WAITING PERIOD for firearms sales. [uh huh — I know we’ve got a lot of Californians come here recently, but we still ain’t California yet]
  • House Bill 887 CRIMINALIZING the practice of home-building firearms. [sorry, I need to go get another hanky]
  • House Bill 925 requiring enforcement of a whole host of newly-established firearms restrictions through PRIVATE CIVIL ACTIONS. [once again, this isn’t California or New fucking York]
  • House Bill 1092 REPEALING Texas’ firearms industry non-discrimination act from the 2021 session. [considering the margin by which the latter was passed in 2021, that ain’t gonna happen either]
  • Senate Bill 205 REPEALING Texas’ campus carry law. [because of all the dozens of mass shootings on Texas campuses over the past few years, maybe?]
  • Senate Bill 253 STREAMLINING signage requirements for posting areas off-limits to gun owners, making it easier for property owners to ban carrying on-premises. [actually, that we have any such signs at all is something I and others intend to take up with our legislators]

Every single one of these has been copied and pasted, so to speak, from years gone past;  all have gone down in flames or else been “tabled” without making it out of committee.

And lest we forget, the Texas Legislature is only in session for six months every two years.  Amongst other things, they have to build, debate and pass a two-year budget — which the U.S. Congress can’t do in a full year — and ours have better things to do than debate this foolishness in the short time available to them.

*Actually, what I’d like to hand to them is their own severed heads on a pike, but we can discuss that some other time.