What really brought on the 2nd Amendment

I got an email today about another possible gun regulation move our new government is contemplating, it's called HR 45. It calls for finger printing, social security numbers, mental exams all kinds of beautiful red tape. I'm not the usual suspect when it comes to being scared that they're going to take away our right to bear arms, (if they take it too far there will definitely be anarchy and I believe most of the military will be on the 2nd amendment side). BUT, I'm getting a little tired of the fact that some politicians in Washington are making it their life's work to do just that. What the (hell word), is so important to them about taking our guns away? I know that a lot of guns these days are for uses other than hunting, uh hello the 2nd amendment was originally discussed in the context as keep and bear them for protection, so most of the guns manufactured today are for protection, I don't see the problem. If the sorry politicians would do the right things (their jobs) pass some laws like our enemies have, and whack off some hands and heads, we wouldn't need to own an arsenal to protect ourselves. I guess the other part of the 2nd is what really bugs them, the part that suggests that the right to bear arms is also for our own protection from Congress! What follows is a little of what our fore fathers were debating at the time the 2nd was put into words. Pretty interesting to ponder under our current circumstances.

 This is from Wikipedia,

 A widespread fear during the debates on the ratification of the Constitution, was the possibility of a military takeover of the states by the federal government, which could happen if the Congress passed laws prohibiting states from arming citizens.[48] Anti-Federalist Patrick Henry during the opening debates of the Virginia Ratification Convention stated his strong belief that arms are required to secure rights and freedoms from those that would take them away.[49] George Mason during that debate also showed his distrust of Congress and the possibility that it would not fund the arming for the militia as an excuse for the creation of a standing army, which could later to be used as an instrument of tyranny by Congress.[50]

Also from Wikipedia

The origin of the second amendment occurred in context of an ongoing debate about "the people" fighting government tyranny, (as described by anti federalists); or the risk of mob rule of "the people" in relation to the ongoing at that time, revolution in France.

I'm aware of the amount of homicides taking place in this country, believe me I don't like it when a gun is used, BUT, if you have any common sense, think about all the guns that are already out there. There were over 1.5 million sold legitimately last year alone. If they ban guns today they would never retrieve them all in a million years. All that would happen is honest citizens would buy and sell on the new black market that would form and of course some would get caught and go to jail etc. BUT, the common criminal would have it easier in obtaining a gun on the same black market. As far as criminals having guns, nothing would change. As far as I'm concerned the more responsible citizens that buy a gun and learn the proper usage the better. That just means eventually there will be more of us than them. AP

"Kurtz and Marlow" .....Shoving Off

Today, if I have constructed everything correctly, my new site featuring, online shopping for everything AP, will be LIVE.
I am proud to feature this compilation at Sons of Savages and hope that you find something that you would want to proudly own. I thank you and my Banker thanks you in advance. AP

www.kurtzandmarlow.com

Garden Time

I miss a garden. Back when I was young my family always had a garden, and I miss the simple beauty of the process. I remember way back an old white-headed black man would show up in the spring driving a wagon pulled by his mule, the old "Florence Wagon Works" type but with old slick car tires and wheels in place of the old spoke wheels. The thing was silent except for the sound of the mules' hoofs. He'd hook the plow harness on the mule after he detached him from the wagon harness. He carried the one row braking plow and tools in the back of the wagon and they, the mule and man would brake our garden for not much money. When he was finished he'd load the wagon and move on to the next garden further down. "Brake," in this case, means to turn the soil over with a braking plow. This would happen a month or more from planting time so the soil could lay out and the grass that is turned under could die from lack of sunshine. It was the beginning of the process that cycled through our lives every year. After about 40 years of gardening hiatus, were going to go for it and raise a garden. I think it a part of my simplification process, another one of those "long time coming things," hopefully another step toward making peace with my conscious. I wish I could remember the old man's name, and his mule's name for that matter, he was one of the last holdouts of that era and I'm glad I have the memory. I'll keep you updated. AP

My friends Keith and Colleen Begg, a rare breed!

I met these two a few years ago in Mozambique while I was working for a Safari Company. Later I got to spend time with them in the Niassa Reserve of Mozambique. They live in the bush almost year round where they research different animals like the African Honey Badger, Lion and Leopard. Did I mention they are also raising their two young children along side them in the Bush?  for more info on the Beggs, go to National Geographic and type in Kieth and Colleen Begg.

Tarpon on the Brain

An ulterior motive, yes I'm guilty. Another reason for this Blog is to promote whatever I deem worthy, and I guess I should promote myself a little. At least I deem my work worthy to squander a few choice sentences over. I seem to catch the eye of the off-to-the-side-type of admirer, or client, for whatever reason I seem to attract the out of the box thinker at least. You can make your own mind up as to where you fall by viewing my website. www.apmcgee.com

A good friend of mine sells clothes

Billy Reid is a talent and a southern boy born and bred. He's come back to the South and brought with him his design sense and wonderful family, you can buy his clothes in his Signature Stores from Texas to Charleston to New York City.  www.billyreid.com

Down in Patagonia

I love to fly fish, a lot of this blog will be related to the subject. I am by no means a great fly fisherman, I've caught a few Tarpon and Permit, a few more Bones and a good amount of Trout. I don't get down to the salt water as much as I want. I'm on a river though, I wade for smallmouths and fish for Stripers. I got a lot of plans, especially for them dam Tarpoons as they say down in Hondouras, more on that later. AP

"Bad Hyena" I've been called worse

I imagined the process of having prints made of my paintings would be a pain. Turns out it wasn't that painful, just a lot like pulling a baby tooth that was just ready to fall out on its own.

In The Beginning

The process of creating a visual utilizing words never occurred to me to take any other form other than written stories, articles, books and novels of the hold in your hand variety. So after joining the great migration to Cyber-publishing, first with my website www.apmcgee.com then later www.kurtzandmarlow.com, I have with a bit of anxiety launched this new trivial piece of self-indulgence as yet another means of self expression, one that will hopefully be as entertaining as some say my artwork is. I've had a great life so far and have discovered a few things about myself along the way. I have come to realize that what is true in my life, that meaning, "that which I truly desire", is what I desired most in my adolescent days, the simple things that I believe God put there in my heart of desires, long before I was the gleam in my father's eye. In the beginning I was drawn like bees to honey toward "being outside". Where I was born and raised wasn't out in the country on some southern farm or backwoods homestead, we lived less than a mile from downtown, as the crow flies, but we were country and we lived like it.

There were woods down across our backyard after you passed the tomato garden, after you waded across Sweetwater Creek, after you passed my Grandpa in his little barn like shop standing there sharpening lawnmower blades, sparks flying from the bench grinder.

Woods across the backyard after you passed the outdoor kitchen area where sliced apples, peaches and pears lay drying on homemade sawhorse tables in the fall sunshine, honey bees, flies and yellow jackets buzzing my mom, aunt and grandmother as they washed mason jars and lids in wash tubs getting ready to can.

Woods across the backyard that all us kids shared with possums, coyotes, coons and whippoorwills and all our dogs. I was probably four or five when they finally paved the road in front of the house. By then my Dad and the rest had introduced me to hunting, fishing and the romance of all that was good about "being outside". I didn't realize then that living, loving and working were just by products of what made me tick and ultimately, my tick, came from "being outside".

Many years passed and I drifted farther and farther from the energy that wound my clock. Instead I pursued all the clever enticing enchantments that civilized culture uses to exhort a man to reach his potential. The farther you get down that road however, the harder it is to return. Some never do. It's usually a bad conscious, and the depression that goes with it that saves most, but most aren't conscious of their compass drift. I have lot of work to do myself, making up for that drift. I'm making peace with my conscious as I go.

Many know the truth, but have trouble giving up society's definition of success. That being, "the accomplishment of having lots of stuff!" Have you ignored your compass, ignored being at peace with you mind, preserving your soul and living that long lasting, God given, healthy life? Are your too busy taking care of all that stuff? If you are still wondering what I'm talking about ask yourself a question, this question. This morning when you first opened your eyes in the dim gray dawn, did you have an overwhelming, heartfelt, can't wait, euphoric desire to get up get out of bed and go do whatever it is you do? If you can't answer that the way you wished you could, then you are down that road. Only you can turn it around, but forgive me if I don't hold my breath. 

I'm here for you though, for what's that's worth, I mean well by it anyway. Truth is though, your probably too far gone, you better go do your taxes. Go on now, move along, go do something that your accustomed to and comfortable with, you better go check your credit score and see about trading that last years model Range Rover for a new one.

Now to the faithful, the faithful remain as does the "Dude Abide," the faithful still seek, seek that which was lost. I'm here for the faithful, here to share what I feel when I seek, here to share what I feel when I sink back down into the guts of my remembrance, down into what I've left there untouched for so long, those memories that leave me giddy with childlike happiness. Hopefully I can spawn in you a little enlightenment, pricking you to be aware like me of memories, memories of what made you the happiest, smells of a camp fire burning down low, sounds of the quiet whisper of "good night" from your dad, an owl hootin way off down deep in a hollow, the wind bringing a little rain on the canvas, aware of a deep joy in your soul, smiling at how tired and happy you are, feeling yourself drifitin off, breathing slow, starting to dream, mind clearing, resting, body jerking, fingers twitchin, snugglin down, deep in the bag, nice warm, being there, "Being Outside".