Who, or what, is really on the presidential ballot in 2016

In Knox County, Tennessee, we are currently in the midst of an election that includes county commissioners, school board members, and aldermen in Farragut.

But another group on the ballot is judges. In Tennessee, high level judges are appointed, then in order to stay on the court(s), they undergo a retention vote.

For example one race on our ballot reads like this:

COURT OF APPEALS,
WESTERN DIVISION –
Kenny Armstrong
Shall Kenny Armstrong
be retained in office as
a Judge of the Court of
Appeals, Western
Division, or be replaced?
☐ Retain
☐ Replace

Now think about the big issue on the November ballot. On the face of it, it appears to be about electing one of two people to the presidency.

But, the way you should see the presidential race is like this:

CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES –

tenthamendmentcenter.com

Amendment Two*
Shall Amendment Two
be retained in the Bill of
Rights, or removed?
☐ Retain
☐ Remove

. . . That is what is really on the ballot this time. A vote for Hillary Clinton is
  a vote for Australian style gun control, collect and crush. Note in the video that she also uses the term buy-back, which is a favorite leftist term, as if they owned the guns in the first place. Note what she says at about one minute forty seconds, "I think it would be worth considering on the national level, if that could be arranged, ...".

Now, since the Libertarian candidate can't win, voting for him or staying home in a huff, aid and abet Clinton in her quest. Do you really want to remove the Second Amendment from the Bill of Rights for the NEXT FORTY YEARS, perhaps forever. 

Only you can decide what to do in the privacy of the voting booth. Do you want your grandchildren to be like the Normandy flock that saw their priest murdered?

I vote

 ☐ Retain 

That means I vote Trump.

*A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Fatal errors

The Friday, July 29 Knoxville News-Sentinel contains reports of two instances of criminal foolishness that resulted in death.

One case involves an intruder who was killed by a homeowner in Union County. It was a fatal error.

The other case involves a man who decided to fight it out with deputies in Blount County. It appears that in the scuffle, his head impacted unforgiving pavement. Another fatal error.

Lessons?

In gun-friendly rural East Tennessee, home invaders are as likely as not to meet armed resistance. They could just be signing their own death warrant.

Fighting with the po-po can come to no good end. Police officers have to win. And, they have backup and radios. 

Another thing those of malevolent mind should consider. Tennessee no longer requires a permit to keep a defensive gun in a vehicle. 

Carjackers beware!

Defending against terroristic mass murder

By Massad Ayoob
Backwoods Home Magazine
Issue #160 • July/August, 2016

My friend Rich Grassi is a retired cop, a masterful instructor, and one of the best writers in the tactical field today. He recently wrote that it would be wise to carry a gun all the time, given the spate of terroristic mass murders in this country and elsewhere. Someone wrote back that the likelihood of being able to stop such a thing was less than that of winning the lottery. . . .

Please CLICK HERE and go over to Backwoods Home Magazine to read this very informative article by Massad Ayoob.

Knox County early voting

Farragut Town Hall

Early voting began last Friday in Knox County, and continues through July 30. The schedule and locations are HERE.

Citizens who carry a defensive weapon should be forewarned that some early voting locations, such as Farragut Town Hall, are posted against firearms.

The Farragut leadership has, so far, decreed that you forfeit your natural right to self-defense when you enter Town Hall.

Do ya wanna come in heah, pilgrim, then leave thet popgun out in the car. Oh, and by the way, we don't provide no security in heah. No security guards, no metal detectors, no nuthin. You on ya own!

Perhaps the biggest danger is the fact that these prohibited zones with their signs are magnets for evildoers. Of all the mass shootings that have occurred since 1950, only three were not in so-called gun free zones.

But wait, there are alternatives*. The location at 1543 Downtown West Blvd in Knoxville was not posted when I voted Monday. Whether you lawfully carry a handgun or not, the absence of posted signs indicates a lower statistical risk.

Photo by Liston Matthews

There are other locations that are posted. These include the City-County Building, which does have security and metal detectors, and Carter Library, which like all Knox County Libraries, is posted. The County Commission appears to have the same attitude as Farragut when it comes to the libraries (note, too, that the Knox County Library posting sign at left lumps permit holders with sex offenders).

So, you ask yourself, "Should I carry when I go vote?"

If evil shows up, who ya gonna call?

*Some government locations may be posted by law, even if they don't have signs. You may want to seek legal advice.

Lets talk elections

For most of my life, I have voted for the presidential candidate I disliked the least. The political reality is, we seldom get exactly what we want. BUT, this time we must choose between the a candidate we may not really like and one who will pick up where B. H. Obama leaves off, fundamentally transforming us into a socialist paradise. 

That choice is between D. J. Trump and H. R. Clinton. He has issued a pretty decent position paper on Second Amendment Rights. She has vowed to attack gun owners every day she is in office. She favors Australian style collect and crush gun control.

Whichever of the two is elected will name the next two to four Supreme Court justices. Do you really want to take the chance of her doing that?

Now is not the time to petulantly vote for the Libertarian candidate. All he is doing is helping skew the election, one way or another. If you cherish your natural right to be armed, yet vote for him, you are throwing in the towel; and aiding and abetting the enemies of liberty (The opposite of the Libertarian ideal?).

So, take some ibuprofen on election day, leave your Buster Brown shorts in the drawer, put on your big boy pants, and just do the right thing. You can show the GOP your disdain later on by throwing out wishy-washy incumbents, and replacing them with more conservative representatives. 

If you are still reading this far, then check out my friend John Richardson's excellent piece over at No Lawyers - Only Guns and Money:

This presidential election may be historic if for no other reason than both presumptive nominees are grossly unpopular. Now if you like Donald Trump or you like Hillary Clinton and you object to that statement, then you are probably in the minority. Both candidates had unfavorability ratings of over 50% as of late June. Frankly, I don't see that changing.
I'll admit right up front that Donald Trump was not my first choice. Heck, he wasn't even my fourth choice. At the start of the primary season, I considered Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, and Ted Cruz as potential recipients of my vote. I added Carly Fiorina to that list after I saw how she handled the press.
Read all of his thought-provoking article HERE.

KnoxNews flubs on two year old car carry law

Author holding 44-40 Henry rifle

The Henry Rifle I am holding here might be too large and unwieldy to carry loaded in your car, but under Tennessee law, it is legal. The Knoxville News-Sentinel reported this as news yesterday, July 11, 2016 on page A4.

The problem is, this is two year old news. This piece was picked up from the Chattanooga Times Free Press from July 9, 2014.

I did a complete breakdown on this in 2014 at my Good Hill Press, and also posted commentary at  Examiner, where I was writing at the time.

So, looking at this old news in the rear view mirror, it is worth noting that the fears mentioned in the article have not come to pass. Tennesseans don't need  a permission slip from the state to act responsibly.

The next step:    Constitutional Carry

Will current legislators follow the Constitution, or will we have to replace them with those who will?

Candidates Speak at Farragut Gun Club

By Margie Hagen*

With primary day for state, federal, Knox County General and Town of Farragut Municipal elections rapidly approaching, the Farragut Gun Club (FGC) hosted local candidates at their June 13th meeting.

FGC regularly invites speakers to address the group. Law enforcement officials, firearm enthusiasts and public figures share their views on a variety of issues. It is a diverse cooperative of individuals that advocate for legislation and constitutional freedoms.

Alderman Louise Povlin photo by Margie Hagen

Louise Povlin was first up to speak. She is running for the position of Farragut Alderman, North Ward 1. In January of this year she was appointed on an interim basis to fill the seat vacated by Ron Honken in December, 2015. Having served on the Municipal Planning Commission since 2013, she is now the Alderman Representative of the MPC to the Board of Mayor & Aldermen (BOMA).

Louise is running on a platform advocating fiscal soundness, preserving residential quality and transparency in government. In addition, she wants to continue to guide commercial development in a conscientious manner.

As a sitting member of the Farragut MPC, she has concerns about Town Hall being posted as a gun-free zone but with no metal detectors or security. This potentially leaves committee members and the public vulnerable and without ready protection from armed perpetrators.

Her opponent for the seat is Richard Cataldi, also present at the meeting. He didn’t speak formally but made his way around the room chatting with small groups of friends and supporters. In a follow up phone interview he detailed his campaign agenda. Richard would like to see the Town become more business friendly and proposes more compromise and negotiation to encourage expansion of new business. “There are more than 20 empty storefronts along Kingston Pike.” he states. “Guidelines should be used less as a hammer and more as a ruler.” He served on the building committee during the renovation of St. John Neumann Church.

Rep. Eddie Smith took the floor next. He is the sitting State Representative for the 13 th District, up for re-

Rep. Eddie Smith photo by Margie Hagen

election in November and currently serves on the Education and Transportation Committees.

Eddie is a proponent of 2 nd Amendment rights and spoke about legislation that was passed during the past session. Beginning July 1 st , full time UT faculty and staff will be allowed to carry permitted concealed weapons on campus, however they must register with the University and certain areas and University sponsored events will off limits.

Along that same note, watch for reductions on permit fees. With roughly 500,000 licensed gun owners in Tennessee, that legislation is generating a lot of interest.

Other notables in attendance included Jason Zachary, incumbent Representative for the 14 th District, also up for re-election, and Bob Markli, Farragut Alderman. At one point even “Admiral Farragut”, as Lou LaMarche is sometimes fondly referred to, made an appearance.

The Farragut Gun Club, founded in 2014, has quickly become the largest club in theregion and has hosted over 100 guest speakers. There are no dues required and anyone is welcome to attend and join. It’s not a shooting club, instead focusing on information and political action.

Liston Matthews, the Executive Director, is a veritable fountain of knowledge for what’s happening in the gun world. He stays current on court decisions and legislation, often traveling to attend functions. He shares pertinent news and even advice on where to stay during events.

As Liston puts it, “You are your own first responder.” He is a firm believer that posted gun-free zones are dangerous, pointing out that the mass shooting that occurred in Orlando’s Pulse nightclub was a gun-free zone. As a 2 nd Amendment defender, he says “The Constitution is my permit.”

One thing everyone agreed on was the importance of voting. Primary day is August 4 th, with early voting open from July 15 -30 th . Your voting location may have changed. For example, 66N will now vote at Farragut Middle School instead of the high school. Check the Knox County website to verify your polling place.

With our national Presidential candidates stooping to low levels of civility and derogatory name calling, it was a pleasant experience to meet and speak with this handful of local office seekers. They were professional and respectful to each other and the audience. Refreshing!

*Margie Hagen is a Knox area freelance reporter.