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Some of the people in this thread need to relax. Lewis Black is a comedian and was making a joke (one that I found funny). His Fort Worth show will probably be great. I hope he comes to Houston. I will go see him.
You are seriously selling New York City short, treeman. Put aside your political views and consider the Natural History Museum, which is literally one of the world's great museums. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, literally one of the world's great art museums. The Guggenheim Museum, designed by one of America's and the world's great architects, Frank Lloyd Wright, with an amazing collection. I saw many objects from King Tut's tomb in Houston, and also saw them in Cairo, and I can tell you that seeing them in Cairo was a far better experience. I've been to many cities in many countries around the world, and their governments, whether I cared for them or not, didn't stop me from enjoying what they had to offer. I toured Greece back when the military junta was in power, for example. You shouldn't let those kinds of things prevent you from experiences that can be life changing, in my humble opinion.
none of those things involve guns.... Remember guns are the only form of fun, showing that you love America, and freedom.... guns.
I don't have a problem with gun ownership. I do have a problem with people letting gun ownership color their politics to a degree where they think of little else, when there are a host of issues to be concerned about.
Half of New Yorkers aren't new yorkers. They are from places like....Houston! Imagine that. People like where they live for different reasons, and people poopoo on those places for other reasons. People think NYC is devoid of nature, open space, lawns, or whatever. And New Yorkers see Texas as a dearth of culture and cuisine. I don't think anyone should be offended though. It's just a place. It's not like 8 million new yorkers think texas sucks. Just probably about 5 million.
Again, there's nothing there that interests me. I've been all over the place. I am right where I want to be. If I am going to take a vacation I'll take the kid to Disney World again. I am honestly, truly, not at all interested in any of the stuff you mentioned (well, the museum would probably be interesting but not worth the trip alone, IMPO). So it's not just the politics. But as a matter of principle - I have a few principles that I live by and make no exception to - I will not spend money in any state that restricts 2nd Amendment rights. Just as I am sure you wouldn't want to patronize a state that restricted 1st Amendment rights. It's just a dealbreaker to me.
Man you are really limiting you vacation destinations... Not much backpacking in Europe for you.... or visiting the sweat beaches of Australia. Do you visit shooting ranges every destination you visit or something? The first amendment protects intellectual rights while the second protects a piece of mechanical equipment. It seems you put guns on a pedestal. I hope you would value 1st amendment rights over 2nd amendment rights.
I've been to Europe. I like it here more. Australia... Shame they went full r****d on the guns. But not a destination I ever had in mind anyway. It's not the guns I put on a pedestal, it is the right to bear tham that I elevate. The 2nd Amendment doesn't "protect a piece of mechanical equipment", it protects your right to choose your own destiny. It protects you from having to kneel down before a freaking king. It is no coincidence that the same state that is trying as hard as it can to ban them is also trying to regulate how much salt you can eat and how big your goddamned slurpee can be. There are several reasons it was deemed one of the most important amendments by the Founders, but in truth all of the amendments are weighty enough they they don't need to compete. The tragedy is that most of America - yourself apparently included - aren't taught history in its proper context, and don't understand the need for a 2nd Amendment anymore. An armed - and educated, and interested - citizenry is the only way that you can prevent government tyranny. Without the guns, and the threat they represent to a government that aspires to too much power, you might as well use the Constitution as toilet paper, Bill of Rights included. An armed citizenry gives teeth to the Constitution's protections and structure. Do they even have you read the Federalist Papers in school anymore? Probably not.
I can't remember if I've had this discussion with you. But I don't think an armed public really prevents any kind of govt. tyranny in the U.S. Being able to have small arms, even fully automatic weapons (which currently isn't allowed) won't do it. The govt. will cut off the services (no electric, water, gas, etc.). They wouldn't have to send soldiers within range of the small arms people are allowed to have. They can drop all sorts of bombs and missiles if they need to. Having a bunch of people armed standing up to the govt. would just make the govt. use all of those tactics. Though with all the services cut off they might not ever have to resort to the bombing and firing missiles at citizens. The actual sure fire way to prevent a dictator is for a massive strike. The govt. doesn't have enough people to keep the nation running if nobody works. Yes they can round people up and kill them, or kill families of workers etc. But if people are going to die either way. So if the folks stay strong and keep the work stoppage going, the govt. will have to give in or cease to exist. Of course for this to work there is no need for guns. I'm definitely not against the second amendment, and I'm a gun owner. It's just that I don't pretend like guns would prevent a tyrant from being a tyrant. People would need tanks, mortars, planes, missiles, bunker busting bombs etc.
I watched that episode and I didn't really care. And yes, Lewis Black isn't that funny. But his subject material on that show tend to be good. In this case, watching all those Perry commercials were quite funny. I'm cool with comedians making fun of Texas or Houston. In fact, Conan's bit when he visited Houston was one of the funniest thing I've ever watched. But Black's bit lacked that comical twist.
The federalist papers is a 200+ year old document. The disparity between small arms and military grade weapons has vastly increased within 200 years. Why is it every right wing nut has a wet dream of being involved in an armed conflict with their modded out ar-15 rifle vs the impending "tyrannical" U.S. federal government. No treeman, what prevents this nation from being usurped by a tyrannical dictator is how decentralized power is within the federal government. Just look at how ****ing difficult it is to pass a damn immigration bill.
FB keep in mind that soldiers are people too. I used to be one of them. Most of them are NOT willing to actually take up arms against their own people. That crap is for the movies, in real life they're your brother, sister, cousin, father... Don't think that just because we've had a lucky run we're immune to the sort of unrest that the rest of the world routinely sees. It'll happen here at some point. An armed population is not the first choice for effecting change, but a last result - and it is the ultimate threat that is supposed to keep the government in check. The problem is that wannabe tyrants have figured out a way around past models: soft tyranny. Let you think you're free, but hold the reigns tight. This is what happened to Europe, and it's what is happening here. Do it slowly with a compliant media and the people won't even notice it's happening until it's too late. It's 1984, just less obvious. And like I said earlier, before you know it your slurpee's just too damned big for Big Bro's taste.
The Constitution is over 200 years old. Perhaps it's just outdated and we should scrap it, too? The Federalist Papers are probably a more important read than the Constitution itself because they explain the rationale for why the Founders set things up the way they did. You obviously haven't read them. You are part of the problem. And perhaps you haven't noticed, but a certain political party that currently controls the Executive has been feverishly centralizing power over the last few years. This does not bother you?
First they take away your slurpees, next they're doing house to house commando raids just like in Europe. Wait... wut?
