On September 19, 2020, I visited the Talladega CMP range to participate in the GSSF Glock Annual Shoot XXVII. I will be honest, since I didn’t get a chance to practice much, I didn’t shoot as well as I could, and I ended up placing 97 out of 170.
But I must say, as usual I really enjoyed my time there. And I even got to see the Gunny Challenge, won by Brian Giovaninni of Savannah.
One of the most annoying and disappointing things about online discussions in places like forums and Facebook pages, is when someone gets upset because someone uses a common, simple substitutional word for a more complex, yet more accurate word. The best example of that is when someone, admittedly usually a newcomer to the shooting sports, uses the word “clip” when referring to a magazine. Then, hell breaks loose, and all the self-righteous Keepers of the Faith immediately chastise the newcomer, instantly destroying whatever conversation was going on about magazine changes or springs, or whatever.
My frustration about this never-ending rant led me to compile The Pledge, the first line of which is: When posting on-line I will never criticize anyone for using “clip” instead of “magazine.”
Recently, I have been involved in many discussions about gun carry rights in Georgia. Here, the document granting government permission for citizens to exercise their Second Amendment rights is called a Georgia Weapons Carry License. A citizen must be in possession of one of these cards in order to carry a loaded handgun in any manner outside of one’s home or business. Note, this applies whether the gun is carried openly or concealed.
However, in a lot of states, the permission granted by the government only applies to a concealed gun. Hence, many states and their citizens call this a Concealed Carry Weapons License, or CCW for short. Seeing that many people living here in Georgia grew up elsewhere, many of those discussing GWCL details unknowingly refer to them as a CCW. When this happens, almost invariably the Keepers of the Faith immediately lambast them, and spend tens of minutes explaining how the laws in Georgia work, even if the original post author was only wondering how long they had to be a state resident in order to get a license.
I say all that to explain that I have now added point 1a to the Pledge:
1a. criticize anyone for referring to a Georgia Weapons Carry License as a CCW.
Please join me in pledging this today.
Thank you!
My Dearest Abigail,
Had a Declaration of Independency been made seven Months ago, it would have been attended with many great and glorious Effects . . . . We might before this Hour, have formed Alliances with foreign States. — We should have mastered Quebec and been in Possession of Canada …. You will perhaps wonder, how such a Declaration would have influenced our Affairs, in Canada, but if I could write with Freedom I could easily convince you, that it would, and explain to you the manner how. — Many Gentlemen in high Stations and of great Influence have been duped, by the ministerial Bubble of Commissioners to treat …. And in real, sincere Expectation of this effort Event, which they so fondly wished, they have been slow and languid, in promoting Measures for the Reduction of that Province. Others there are in the Colonies who really wished that our Enterprise in Canada would be defeated, that the Colonies might be brought into Danger and Distress between two Fires, and be thus induced to submit. Others really wished to defeat the Expedition to Canada, lest the Conquest of it, should elevate the Minds of the People too much to hearken to those Terms of Reconciliation which they believed would be offered Us. These jarring Views, Wishes and Designs, occasioned an opposition to many salutary Measures, which were proposed for the Support of that Expedition, and caused Obstructions, Embarrassments and studied Delays, which have finally, lost Us the Province.
All these Causes however in Conjunction would not have disappointed Us, if it had not been for a Misfortune, which could not be foreseen, and perhaps could not have been prevented, I mean the Prevalence of the small Pox among our Troops …. This fatal Pestilence compleated our Destruction. — It is a Frown of Providence upon Us, which We ought to lay to heart.
But on the other Hand, the Delay of this Declaration to this Time, has many great Advantages attending it. — The Hopes of Reconciliation, which were fondly entertained by Multitudes of honest and well meaning tho weak and mistaken People, have been gradually and at last totally extinguished. — Time has been given for the whole People, maturely to consider the great Question of Independence and to ripen their judgments, dissipate their Fears, and allure their Hopes, by discussing it in News Papers and Pamphletts, by debating it, in Assemblies, Conventions, Committees of Safety and Inspection, in Town and County Meetings, as well as in private Conversations, so that the whole People in every Colony of the 13, have now adopted it, as their own Act. — This will cement the Union, and avoid those Heats and perhaps Convulsions which might have been occasioned, by such a Declaration Six Months ago.
But the Day is past. The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America.
I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.
You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not. — I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. — Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will tryumph in that Days Transaction, even altho We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not.
– Letter from John Adams to Abigail Adams, 3 July 1776
I finally got my USPSA RO certification renewed, the week before the governor closed down Georgia. So, the matched for the last two months have been cancelled, leaving me to have to settle for dry fire practice in the office.
But finally, the River Bend Gun Club, where I shoot most often, has decided to re-open, and I have volunteered to RO this new match. And given the Most Recent Unpleasantness, we will be subject to a few new rules, which will certainly make things a lot more interesting.
First, squads will be limited to ten people, made up of 8 shooters and 2 ROs. Since RBGC normally has 125 plus shooters, this means there will be a morning run and an evening run, and I and set to shoot in the morning and RO in the afternoon.
Now, at first, all competitors were going to be required to bring and wear a mask, but this requirement has since been relaxed to an encouragement. As a cancer survivor, I wear one all the time when I go out, so I will then, too. We will also be limited to social distancing to no less than 6 feet, and because of this, only two competitors will paste targets and reset the stage, and this will rotate. This minimizes the chance of getting too close to others.
I welcome the return to shooting and I will keep you updated.
Fill Yer Hands 