As You See It: July 10, 2008

Especially in veiw of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Heller, the Second Amendment's 27 words are incredibly clear: The right to keep and bear arms is constitutionally guaranteed "the people" and not the malitia. For those Americans who don't like the Second Amendment, the proper remedy for those folks is to attempt to ammend the Constitution, but, since even the liberal Democrats have finally recognized that supporting gun control is not a winner and cost them Gore his bid to occupy the white house, the possibility of ammending the second amendment would seem remote. All these a-well-regulated-malitia served up in support of gun control are off point and wrong. In Heller, the issue before the Supreme Court was not what the Justices thought was best for our cities; the issue was if the D.C. prohibiting honest, law abiding citizens from keeping a loaded handgun in thier homes for defense purposes was a constitutionally protected right. The constitution is clear and, by virtue of Heller, our hightest court agrees. To me, it's a national disgrace that four U.S. Supreme Court Justices voted against Heller - What are these people thinking?- and so many who wrongly believe that their version of gun control is still appropriate in the form of draconian regulations of firearms in general and handguns in particular. Indeed, those who continue to proffer such polemics are offensive to both the U.S. Consitution and anyone who has read the second amendment.

I agree with Amy, that the dog owners had been keeping Lighthouse Field a safe place to go. Now, there are way too many homeless living there, and they don't seem to care about taking care of the place. Bring back the dogs, and make the field safe again. I find drunk people asking me for money, etc, more scary than a bunch of dogs running around. Bring back family-friendly!

Thank you Mr. Walls for perfectly expressing my thoughts. I suppose I would qualify as an "old guy", although I don't think or feel that way. A lifetime has taught me that experience is usually more desirable than "change".

I agree with Mr. Walls.

Also, why aren't the PC folks screaming age discrimination when someone is called, "old guy"? Seems like the PC group sure is selective about who they try to protect....

Why pick on PC (Pacific Collegiate) all the time? They run one of the best country-club educations at taxpayer's expense in the whole country. To them, a 1758 year old presidential candidate appears "old," the same way everyone who loses their lottery appears hispanic.

Sorry Miss Amy Pine, gotta disagree with your dogs-at-the-park study. That trash and flotsam and elements have always been at Lighthouse Field; perhaps you just didn't look hard enough 'til they took away the hounds' rights to frolic freely.

So someone is outraged by the "racially insensitive" Bizarro cartoon published July 8th? Perhaps he can organize a burning of Bizarro cartoons, and also toss in a few offensive panels by Metro cartoonist DeCinzo. Then after the protest Joe Simitian could consider drafting a law banning any cartoons that might be imaginitive enough to offend anybody. I'm sure the Ayatollahs would support it.

I thought the "free range slaves" cartoon was on the mark. If you have ever heard the locals babble about organic this and fair-trade that, there is little doubt that if the local progressives could be transported in time to the old south, they would speak and act just as the cartoon portrayed.

As for the math: It's actually
alcohol + barbecue + fireworks = patriotism

Best 4th of July ever. I hope it goes down exactly the same next year.

If you want to get out of Live Oak, come over to West Cliff and watch the best show any city could ever hope to put on to celbrate America's Birthday!

Oh come on - at 70, as young as you feel, you are old. You may run marathons or climb mountains, but you are an old guy doing it - there's nothing wrong with that - get over the "ageism" and embrace it. I've been called "big guy" for decades - is that sizeism? No - I'm big. McCain will be the oldest presidential nominee to be routed in November and he has earned the moniker of "old" simply by surviving 7 decades.

Experience Change wrote:

I agree with Mr. Walls.
Also, why aren't the PC folks screaming age discrimination when someone is called, "old guy"? Seems like the PC group sure is selective about who they try to protect....

Thank you for your letter, Amy. Lighthouse Field was pretty much a vacant lot until the dog walkers, through regular usage and stewardship, gradually turned it into a community gathering place. Once people saw how much fun everyone had and what a nice place the Field had become, up comes a movement from a few disgruntled dog and community-phobes to take it back. And the cycle begins anew-the Field is well on its way to becoming a vacant lot again. At least dogs don't leave dirty toilet paper behind. Selfish never works. Oscar Wilde wrote a Christian parable, The Selfish Giant, about a beautiful garden where the children play until the Giant comes home after seven years visiting the ogre and puts a stop to it. The children are sad and mayhem ensues until the Giant sees the light and lets the children come back. Although it is a little heavy handed, it tells our story alarmingly well.

Love the comments by Sharri Harris and Steve Coletta regarding the fireworks on 04Jul. It's obvious the meaning of Independence Day has been lost to many.

This is the first year since I can remember in our Capitola neighborhood where it wasn't complete chaos, like a war zone on July 4th. What a relief, but still the fireworks were going off until 2am and have been going off every night since the 4th. Very selfish behavior.

You would think that while Jazzman prepared his scholarly treatise on the 2nd amendment, he would have taken the time to figure out how to spell "malitia" (correct -- militia).

rjb wrote:

Thank you for your letter, Amy. Lighthouse Field was pretty much a vacant lot until the dog walkers, through regular usage and stewardship, gradually turned it into a community gathering place. Once people saw how much fun everyone had and what a nice place the Field had become, up comes a movement from a few disgruntled dog and community-phobes to take it back. And the cycle begins anew-the Field is well on its way to becoming a vacant lot again. At least dogs don't leave dirty toilet paper behind. Selfish never works. Oscar Wilde wrote a Christian parable, The Selfish Giant, about a beautiful garden where the children play until the Giant comes home after seven years visiting the ogre and puts a stop to it. The children are sad and mayhem ensues until the Giant sees the light and lets the children come back. Although it is a little heavy handed, it tells our story alarmingly well.

I do not want Dogs at Lighthouse Field area.

Poo in my bike tires
Poo in my 4 year olds bike tires
Poo all over 4 year olds brand new bike.
Very tramatic for a 4 year old.

followed by

Mexicans gangster cowards in Raider/Cowboy Up stickered Black Pick-Up Truck parked right next to my car with their pair if Steel Studded Un-leashed Pit Bulls. Pit Bulls very curious on the poo smell on our bikes. Mexicans would do nothing.

We did find the dog owner and got a shrugged shoulder and a finger.

Another nice day at Lighthouse field. How uncomfortable was that day?

No Dogs, No Illegals, No Liberals!

Harry Merkin

Harry Merkin wrote:

<quoted text>
I do not want Dogs at Lighthouse Field area.
Poo in my bike tires
Poo in my 4 year olds bike tires
Poo all over 4 year olds brand new bike.
Very tramatic for a 4 year old.
followed by
Mexicans gangster cowards in Raider/Cowboy Up stickered Black Pick-Up Truck parked right next to my car with their pair if Steel Studded Un-leashed Pit Bulls. Pit Bulls very curious on the poo smell on our bikes. Mexicans would do nothing.
We did find the dog owner and got a shrugged shoulder and a finger.
Another nice day at Lighthouse field. How uncomfortable was that day?
No Dogs, No Illegals, No Liberals!
Harry Merkin

Now now now -- don't be insensitive to the rich cultural contributions of our undocumented heroes.

Harry Merkin wrote:

<quoted text>
I do not want Dogs at Lighthouse Field area.
Poo in my bike tires
Poo in my 4 year olds bike tires
Poo all over 4 year olds brand new bike.
Very tramatic for a 4 year old.
followed by
Mexicans gangster cowards in Raider/Cowboy Up stickered Black Pick-Up Truck parked right next to my car with their pair if Steel Studded Un-leashed Pit Bulls. Pit Bulls very curious on the poo smell on our bikes. Mexicans would do nothing.
We did find the dog owner and got a shrugged shoulder and a finger.
Another nice day at Lighthouse field. How uncomfortable was that day?
No Dogs, No Illegals, No Liberals!
Harry Merkin

Now now now -- don't be insensitive to the rich cultural contributions of our undocumented heroes.

Sherri Harris, get over it, the 4th is over! MOVE ON!!!!!

DOGS SUCK! DOG OWNERS SUCK EVEN MORE!
Just do what a lot of us do, stay aways from the West Side of SC.....It is a pit anyway!

rjb wrote:

Thank you for your letter, Amy. Lighthouse Field was pretty much a vacant lot until the dog walkers, through regular usage and stewardship, gradually turned it into a community gathering place. Once people saw how much fun everyone had and what a nice place the Field had become, up comes a movement from a few disgruntled dog and community-phobes to take it back. And the cycle begins anew-the Field is well on its way to becoming a vacant lot again. At least dogs don't leave dirty toilet paper behind. Selfish never works. Oscar Wilde wrote a Christian parable, The Selfish Giant, about a beautiful garden where the children play until the Giant comes home after seven years visiting the ogre and puts a stop to it. The children are sad and mayhem ensues until the Giant sees the light and lets the children come back. Although it is a little heavy handed, it tells our story alarmingly well.

I guess you can also relate this to the off leash dogs taking over Derby park and fencing in the children instead!!!!!!!
HHHHMMMMMM!!!!! Slap, right back at you!

Pat Kittle wrote:

<quoted text>
Now now now -- don't be insensitive to the rich cultural contributions of our undocumented heroes.

When there's no reaction, post again and again!