Local Matters...Eventually

Well since it's Friday, it seems a local issue is in order. Unfortunately, I find it difficult to write about local issues; I don't know where I stand on SafeClear. Today's post came to me eventually.

Being strongly in favor of tougher gun laws, I receive regular e-mails from a variety of organizations regarding current topics on the subject. One that came this week is from the BradyCampaign, trying to get the word out about a House Bill that would bar judges from considering gun cases. Also, on the news today I was inundated by reports from the NRA convention meeting in Houston this week. Boo the NRA and Houston for hosting them, but I felt like I could give the matter a pass, until one name united these two events for me. Go on, I'll give you three guesses, but I bet you get it in one. Did you say Tom DeLay? Of course you did, cuz you've been paying attention!

Yes, Tom DeLay, House Majority Leader, is the keynote speaker tonight at the NRA convention. He is very strongly in favor of our right to keep and bear arms, as he is in protecting all of our civil liberties, so long as they don't involve gay rights, women's rights, spousal rights, or anything else that doesn't pay well or garner any CCR votes. And what do ya reckon he's gonna talk about tonight? Why that would be H. R. 800, that he pushed to have rubber-stamped by the House Judiciary Committee by today so he brag about it in his speech tonight. HR800 grants gun sellers immunity from prosecution in local, state and Federal courts, putting them out of the reach of the judges he so disdains. Of course it puts them out of the reach of citizens who serve on juries, so we all have less say in punishing those guilty of illegal activities. But like the oil industry, the gun industry never acts outside the law, right?

So I know you are asking yourself, is this really a local issue. Besides for mentioning Houston, booing Houston, there's been nothing, nada. See, I told you I had a problem with local matters. It probably stems from childhood; I'm a Dallasite. I don't no nuthin' bout Houston, nuthin' good anyway. But we did have a nice trip to Galveston last Saturday to see the Spanish Navy's sailing ship, the Juan Sebastian de ElCano, which moored along the pier near the Alyssa and brought 30 or so cute Spanish sailors to the Strand. The ElCano is used to train cadets in the Spanish Navy in the traditional sailing techniques of yore. It was a beautiful sight to see six or so obviously gay seamen ( I say they were gay because it seems to me if you can sail across the Atlantic, you don't need to hold hands to cross the Strand) being treated courteously by the bikers and rednecks. Gives me hope for the future.

See, I told you I'd get around to thing eventually, there's just been a little delay.