Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Nothing to lose but some chains

This one goes out to all my pals living in the District. I know you've heard me make fun some times and criticize at others, but not this time. This time I got your back.

Also, forewarned is forearmed, this post is going to contradict itself in some places, but it's all for the common good.

On Wednesday the House passed H.R. 6842, a bill that would effectively gut the District's gun laws. The vote was 266-152 in favor of this resolution (181 Rs and 85 Ds voted "aye" in case you're interested). The measure would legalize semiautomatic rifles and repeal the District's gun registration laws.

Now, don't get me wrong, I personally believe gun control means proper sight alignment and trigger control so you can hit what you're aiming at. I feel the Supremes acted correctly in striking down the District's gun ban, and the Council was being petulant in its first attempt at passing a new gun law.

That said, Tuesday the Council voted to end the District's requirement to keep guns unloaded and to permit residents to own semi auto pistols. Well and good. I have no problem with registration, a law-abiding citizen should have nothing to fear from this. There's 200 million guns in this country so even if they know where all of them are I'm pretty sure the government would have a hard time taking all of them away.

In response to the House's action, the WaPo reported Council Chairman Vincent Gray said, “I implore the Congress to give this body, this mayor and this city an opportunity to find a solution.”

Here's my solution and where I may lose some of you, but don't worry, I really do have a point.

The reason the Adams boys, a printer from Philly and a planter from Virginia, among others, rose up together was in response to exactly the same kind of thing that happened Wednesday on the Hill: A distant government voted to impose its will on a group of Americans.

What's that Foggy? A distant government you say? It's not distant, it's right here in the center of town. Think so, huh? The main sponsor of H.R. 6842 was Rep. Travis Childers, a democrat from Prentiss County, Mississippi, 842 miles away.

That's pretty damn far in my opinion (which this is). Not quite as far as London, but far enough to qualify as a distant government in my mind. What the hell does this ignorant sod-kicker think he's doing pushing laws on people who didn't vote for him.

Ah, yes, I know, Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution give Childers and every other moron with the ability to raise campaign funds, glad-hand the public and kiss babies the right to tell the almost 600,000 residents of the District, who they don't represent, what they can and can't do. Again, I'm a big fan of the Second Amendment, I'm just not a big fan of tyranny.

And that's what this is, tyranny.

So what's the District to do if this piece of shit bill passes and is signed by the president, which he said he'd do?

I say the District should respond to Congress with two words: Get. Bent.

Or, even better, Fuck. Off.

Seriously, what could the Feds do? Put Fenty and the rest of the council in jail for ignoring them? Yeah, that'd be a good move. I'm sure there's one or two people on the Hill who can spell martyr without having to look it up.

If Congress gets really annoying, I say the city not only ignore them, but make their lives as miserable as possible as well. Total passive aggressiveness. Or, as Thoreau, Gandhi and King called it, civil disobedience.

I see many, many members being pulled over by MPD for broken tail lights as they drive through the District on their way to and from work. Everyday. Single. Day.

How about not maintaining the streets, or better yet, the water mains around the Capitol and the White House. That fancy new gym of theirs might not seem so nice when they all start stinking like the fish market in July.

How many complaints do you think the State Department have to deal with if every diplomat started getting parking tickets and then had their cars booted? That could really be funny.

Embarrassment is a powerful motivator.

What the city need to do is pick a fight with the Feds, get taken to court and have Art. I, Sect. 8 nullified. It's archaic and no longer necessary and needs to go. If it takes an amendment to the Constitution, fine. This is a far, far better cause than defending marriage or the flag.

If senators can be popularly elected, everyone counted as a whole person and women given the right to vote (you go girls!), then the residents of the District of Columbia must be allowed control their own fate.

I don't know if that fate involves statehood, but it damn well should include a loud voice in the laws affecting my fellow Americans.




1 comment:

dcpeg said...

Though I disagree with you about guns, I appreciate your idea of sticking it to Congress. HOWEVER: The District would lose that one because Congress can still stick it to us when it comes to budget. The feds make a large payment to the District, I suspect to try to cover some of the expenses and inconvenience incurred by residents and businesses during demonstrations, riots, tractors on the Mall, etc. Also, the District's tax base is so tiny that it would be exremely difficult to make ends meet without the fed payment. In other words, we're stuck.