Category: Conservative

Living in California is interesting for someone like me. I come from pretty humble beginnings. While I wouldn’t say I was poor growing up I can say that I come from the lower to mid middle class.

I was raised for the most part by a divorced working Mother, with copious support from her father. I was a latch key kid. I spent weekends with my father and his new family until he moved to another state.

I did stuff as a kid that while normal then, in the South is completely WRONG today in California.

I rode a bicycle without a helmet… Gasp!

I Dug forts underground.

I built forts in trees.

I played with fire

I had a lot of fun with fireworks and M-80s

At age 8 or so I drove the speed boat my dad had, By Myself!!!!

I occasionally rode a mini-bike again sans helmet.

I went swimming in lakes, and canals where we KNEW alligators were living. You just looked for the ‘gator if he wasn’t in the wallow, you found yourself another lake to swim in.

There were a variety of poisonous snakes, Rattlesnakes, Water Moccasins, and Coral snakes. These were a fact of life and you learned pretty damn quick to be aware of your surroundings, and pay attention!

One of the things I find amusing as hell living here is how very provincial Southern Californians are. On the very few occasions that I’ve described my childhood, Californians (very few natives I should point out) loose their minds. Their views of my childhood are that clearly I was an abused child. After all NO responsible parent would allow their child to be exposed to all of these dangers!

But I think that all of these “dangers” made me very resourceful and in fact honed my survival instincts.

For example you listen when you’re outside. Most creatures make pretty distinctive noises. If you know what sounds to listen for you can easily avoid conflict with wildlife. You learn early on, vicious alligators or dogs for that matter don’t climb trees… BUT Humans climb very well. Especially, when pursued BY vicious alligators or dogs!

In my family you learned at a very tender age that Guns are not Toys. They are not objects to threaten someone with. If someone pulls a gun on you you’re going to A) Get shot, or B) shoot them. (not entirely true) We were taught respect for guns. We were taught how to use them, that guns were tools, and especially we were taught NEVER to point a gun at someone unless you INTENDED to Shoot them.

I clearly remember my father and the other menfolk of the family drinking scotch, smoking cigarettes or cigars and shooting their latest firearm acquisitions. In the back yard.

They drank responsibly… in that they put the guns away after they’d had a couple of drinks.

I also remember very fondly, leaning my shoulders against my fathers thighs and him coaching me on the firing of a small automatic .38 (I think). When I fired that gun for the first time, it knocked my shoulders back against his thighs and he kept me from falling. Then he explained why I hadn’t hit the target and really spent time coaching me on the use of the weapon.

It was a bonding moment and from then on I knew my dad would be there even if he was pissed off at me. I don’t think I was older than maybe 8 or 9.

I played baseball, I skinned my knees, sprained my arms, broke my nose, and in general had a Great Childhood!

Today THIS IS VERBOTEN! In “Proper Liberal” circles it’s off the charts Crazy and is pointed to by liberals as an example of why the government MUST protect us from ourselves! After all a child firing a weapon? OH MY GOD! The horror! A child on his own unsupervised in a lake? How irresponsible! Playing with firecrackers and being allowed to have matches! EEEEKKKK! A chemistry set, with potentially dangerous chemicals and an alcohol burner? OMG!

Back then, in the South any or all of the above was a normal way to spend a Saturday afternoon waiting for a completely unhealthy dinner of Fried Chicken, biscuits, gravy, mashed potatoes, sweet tea, and maybe green beans.

Here’s another little tidbit, we knew what time dinner was, if we weren’t around when dinner was served we didn’t eat. No, not we didn’t eat something else… We didn’t eat!

It was one of the first lessons in personal responsibility I had. I remember my Mother and my Step Mother both telling me “I don’t run a cafeteria here. You’re here when dinner is served or you go hungry.” Amazing how fast you learn from a little hardship.

The entire time I was growing up, I never heard of anyone being accidentally shot, and since most of my friends had the same cultural upbringing even if a gun was laying out somewhere It HAD NO INTEREST TO US. There was no mystery and consequently we weren’t likely to be in the least curious about it.

So this shows me yet another Glaring way that I’m different from many of the other people in this state.
I believe in personal accountability and responsibility. I like guns and believe that everyone should own one and know how to use it well! I’m seriously annoyed by the NANNY state. (I have a mother, thank you very much and she taught me to be responsible and accountable.)

The older I get the more I’m leaning toward organizations and political parties that I would never have thought to even listen to.

At first I thought it was just because I was a curmudgeon but now I think it’s that I’m sick of people acting irresponsibly and expecting society at large to clean up their messes.

I for one have all I can do to clean up my own messes and don’t need the burden of other people demanding something for nothing from me.

Does that make me a prime recruit for the Tea Party or am I a better recruit for another group????