Smithfield hoses some "new" residents, just like Selma did

From WMPM's news page:

Smithfield Town Council Approves Involuntary Annexation Of 96 Acres Along US301, US70 - In a special meeting, that lasted only four minutes Monday afternoon, the Smithfield Town Council voted unanimously to annex 55 tracts of land off Highway 301 South and four parcels near the US70/I-95 interchange. The largest area annexed on Monday was 78 acres on the southwestern side of the current town limits. It includes 40 dwellings and approximately 92 residents from US301, at Galilee Road, southward to Holts Lake . The annexation includes Holt’s Lake Barbecue , Blackmon’s Mobile Home Park , and the Johnston County School Bus Garage. The annexation will generate about $28,798 in additional property tax annually for the Town of Smithfield . Monday’s annexation did not include the Huntington Ridge Subdivision off Country Club Road , which had previously been considered for annexation several years ago. Four businesses and just over 18 acres of land, near the US70/I-95 interchange were also forcibly annexed Monday. They include the Village Inn, Village Restaurant, Tobacco Shop, and the Johnston County Board of Education Central Office. Annexation of the four businesses will add approximately $8,399 in property taxes annually for the town. Public hearings, held in March and April, on the involuntary annexations drew some opposition from residents who weren't interested in becoming a part of the city. Councilman Andy Moore was not present for Monday’s vote. Earlier this month, the corporate limits of Smithfield grew by an additional 10 acres, when East Carolina Farm Credit (ECFC) requested voluntary annexation of land they purchased on US70 East at Yelverton Grove Road . ECFC plans to build a new office at that location.

One of the most ignorant...nay STUPID things I have read in a long time

This is a letter to the editor of The Smithfield Herald. This woman is just plain frickin' stupid. She has no concept of why we have weapons in this nation, what causes gun violence, and where people who perpetrate crime and violence get their guns. People who go to gun shows are law abiding citizens who have undergone background checks prior to purchase. The RIGHT to have guns is just that...a right. It is not some privilege endowed by the government to be taken back at will. She is also just plain wrong about polls showing that the majority of Americans wanting the curtailment of gun ownership. She is also just plain erroneous about the crime rates in other nations being so low as a result of gun control. I wish that people would actually do research prior to making such claims. The facts simply do not back up Dorothy Onisko's assertions or opinions.

For a full hour on the topic of gun control, visit my recent blogtalkradio show on gun control. I have a folder full of resources and can direct anyone to them online if desired.

Here is the letter.

From Our Readers: Are we ready now for gun control?

I was turning from Wilson’s Mills Road on to U.S. 70 Business when I almost stopped dead in my tracks. I had just heard of the mass shootings at Virginia Tech, and there, staring me in the face, was a huge sign, Gun & Knife Show at the N.C. State Fairgrounds. My heart, aching for the victims and their families, and then to read about a gun and knife show in Raleigh. I was devastated. Who wouldn’t want gun control after hearing of mass killings. Without the ready availability of guns, killings like the one at Virginia Tech would not have occurred.

Since then, I’ve been hearing pros and cons about guns. Many of my friends have guns. I even know of grandpas who give a gun to their newborn grandsons as their first birthday presents. They surely don’t expect their grandson to kill anyone with it.

The National Rifle Association found a smart approach to use: “The Constitution defends our right to carry a gun. Don’t let them take away our guns.” But it’s the semiautomatics that create the worst havoc. Some politicians use the excuse that they won’t get elected if they don’t support the NRA. Yet any number of polls indicate that the majority of Americans favor the curtailment of guns. Year after year, any criminal can purchase any type of gun he or she wishes. Many other countries already have gun control, and their crime rate is miniscule compared to ours.

I thought we were a government for the people. Oh? Need I mention that one of the biggest lobbies in Washington is the NRA?

What are we going to do about it?

DOROTHY ONISKO, Brogden Road, Smithfield

Here is my letter to the editor in response to Ms. Onisko. It will be interesting to see if it gets published.

April 24, 2007

Editor
The Smithfield Herald
Fax 919-989-7093

Dear Sir:

I just read the letter to the editor from a Ms. Dorothy Onisko of Brogden Road. She wrote how she was stopped in her tracks at the sight of a billboard for an upcoming gun show following the Virginia Tech shootings. I was just as stunned at the sheer ignorance I saw upon reading her letter.

Ms. Onisko is sorely misinformed about the availability of guns, the effects of gun control on crime rates in other nations, and the acquisition and availability of guns to the criminal element of society.

Honest, law abiding citizens are subjected to serious scrutiny in the form of background checks, permitting procedures, and purchase limitations. These checks and limitations apply to gun shows as much as they do to gun stores.

Criminals by nature and definition, do not adhere to laws. No gun control law would have prevented some psychotic, deranged individual from shooting a lot of people on the Virginia Tech campus if an individual was determined to do so. What gun control did do was prevent other students and faculty members from being able to protect themselves and others. It was gun control that led to such a massacre, not the lack thereof.

I have personally done research on this very topic just within the last week. I have a folder full of resources that I will be happy to share. I will also be glad to give a free audio CD to anyone who wants one on the topic of gun control with actual facts, not just opinions. I can be reached at 919-975-2210 or through my web site, troylaplante.com.

Please, if someone is going to make assertions or form opinions, please do so according to the facts and not some emotional response to a tragedy. The facts simply do not back up Ms. Onisko's point of view or her claims of the efficacy of gun control. I would ask her and all readers to find out the simple facts before spouting factually challenged rhetoric.

Troy LaPlante
West Anderson Street
Selma, NC

Another reason I am no longer in the NRA

GRNC Alert 04-23-07:

In Wake of VT Shootings - Another Sellout of Rights

Our friends at Gun Owners of America alerted us to this threat to
your rights being mounted upon the graves of the unfortunate victims
of yet another killer facilitated by the Gun Free School Zones. We
include their analysis and is followed by our call to action in the
U. S. Congress.

-------------------

Monday, April 23, 2007

The biggest gun battle of the year is about to erupt on Capitol Hill.
Fueled by the recent Virginia Tech shootings, an odd coalition is
forming to help expand the number of honest people who now won't be
able to buy a gun.

The legislation has been introduced by none other than the Queen of
Gun Control herself, Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY). But she has picked
up a key ally, as the bill (HR 297) is being pushed by a powerful gun
group in Washington, DC.

On Friday, The Washington Post reported on the strange coalition.
"With the Virginia Tech shootings resurrecting calls for tighter gun
controls," the Post said, "the National Rifle Association has begun
negotiations with senior Democrats over legislation to bolster the
national background-check system."

Rep. John Dingell (D-MI), who was once on the NRA Board of Directors
but resigned when he supported and voted for the Clinton semi-auto
ban in 1994, is reported to be "leading talks with the powerful gun
lobby in hopes of producing a deal ," Democratic aides and
lawmakers told the newspaper.

Rep. McCarthy admitted to the Post that her "crusades" for more gun
control have made her voice "toxic" in gun circles. "So Dingell is
handling negotiations with the NRA," the newspaper reported. "Dingell
is also in talks with Sens. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah) and Ted Stevens
(R-Alaska), House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) and Rep.
F. James Sensenbrenner (Wis.), the senior Republican on the House
Judiciary Committee."

Despite all this bad news, the Post article does go on to explain
that there are some potential pitfalls.

First, you will remember that this is the bill you helped kill last
year, when an avalanche of postcards was dumped on Congressional
desks by thousands upon thousands of GOA activists. That's why the
Post says there is one huge obstacle -- the members of Gun Owners of
America.

"The NRA must balance its desire to respond to the worst mass
shooting by a lone gunman in the nation's history with its
competition with the more strident Gun Owners of America, which
opposes any restriction on gun purchases," the Post reported.

SO WHAT DOES HR 297 DO?

Well, the rest of this alert will answer this question. This alert is
long, but it is important to read it in its entirety. We need to "arm"
ourselves with the facts so that we can keep pro-gun

Congressmen from being duped into supporting a bill that, as of now,
is being unanimously cosponsored by representatives sporting an "F-"
rating by GOA.

HR 297 provides, in the form of grants, about $1 billion to the
states to send more names to the FBI for inclusion in the National
Instant Criminal Background Check System . If you are thinking,
"Oh, I've never committed a felony, so this bill won't affect me,"
then you had better think again. If this bill becomes law, you and
your adult children will come closer to losing your gun rights than
ever before.

Are you, or is anyone in your family, a veteran who has suffered from
Post Traumatic Stress? If so, then you (and they) can probably kiss
your gun rights goodbye. In 1999, the Department of Veterans
Administration turned over 90,000 names of veterans to the FBI for
inclusion into the NICS background check system. These military
veterans -- who are some of the most honorable citizens in our
society -- can no longer buy a gun. Why? What was their heinous
"crime"?

Their "crime" was suffering from stress-related symptoms that often
follow our decent men and women who have served their country
overseas and fought the enemy in close combat. For all their
patriotism, the Clinton administration deemed them as mentally
"incompetent," sent their names for inclusion in the NICS system, and
they are now prohibited from owning guns under 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(4).

HR 297 would make sure that more of these names are included in the
NICS system.

But, of course, Representatives Dingell and McCarthy tell us that we
need HR 297 to stop future Seung-Hui Chos from getting a gun and to
prevent our nation from seeing another shooting like we had on
Virginia Tech. Oh really?

Then why, after passing all of their gun control, do countries like
Canada and Germany still have school shootings? Even the infamous
schoolyard massacre which occurred in Ireland in 1997 took place in a
country that, at that time, had far more stringent gun controls than
we do.

Where has gun control made people safer? Certainly not in Washington,
DC, nor in Great Britain, nor in any other place that has enacted a
draconian gun ban.

Great monologue

This is a great monologue by Jeff Foxworthy at the Country Music Television Awards show. Use Internet Explorer to view the video. It doesn't like other browsers.

What a frickin' idiot. Dennis Kucinich, kiss my big ol' butt!

Representative Dennis Kucinich of Ohio has introduced an insane gun control bill in the U.S. Congress. In his words:

And third, the 33 deaths at Blacksburg constitute a national tragedy. So, too, does the fact that an average of 32 people each and every day in the United States perish in handgun related incidents. Accordingly, I am drafting a bill to ban the purchase, sale, transfer or possession of handguns by civilians. A gun buy-back provision will be provided in the bill.

It’s time for us to rescue this Nation from the violence which is engulfing it, and I have just articulated a threepoint plan to do so.

Here is the Congressional Record quoting this freedom hating, Constitution disregarding, liberal, controling, loser.

As to a gun buy back program, I am considering offering a buy back program personally here in my town. I will give $50 for any gun turned in by citizens who don't want to have them any more.

Speaking of gun control, remember to join me this Saturday night on my show, "Straight Shooting". The topic will be gun control. I will have a guest from the organization, Grass Roots North Carolina. Feel free to call in to the show and ask questions or just listen.

Don't know what the problem is

My left knee hurts something awful this evening. All of a sudden, my knee started to hurt and got worse into the evening. I put some analgesic cream on it, but that isn't doing much. It only really hurts when I bend, especially when getting up or sitting down. It hurt to the point where I grabbed my cane in case I need a bit of help.

Ouch. I figure I may have strained a ligament or something.

Gun ban "author" doesn't understand her own bill

Carolyn McCarthy sponsored the latest assault weapons ban in Congress. The idiot does not even understand what she is attempting to ban. First, she does not know the difference between a "clip" and a magazine. I have weapons that take both, and they are not the same thing. Next, watch the video and listen to Tucker Carlson's awesome slam. I love the "because it’s in your legislation" quip. Her bill is not on the official US Government web site yet, but I understand it is H.R. 1859.

There is little that is more dangerous than an ignorant fool trying to regulate or restrict the rights of the many.

Discussion on gun control

In light of the recent shootings at Virginia Tech and recent efforts by the U.S. Congress and the N.C. Legislature to pass gun control measures, I wanted to do a segment on my blogtalkradio show on gun control. The show will be at 7PM eastern time. The show's link is here.

Next Saturday, I will talk about the ACLU and its attempt to make the Town of Selma cease opening the council meetings with a word of prayer. Here is the show link for that one.

Oh, the irony of this one

I am not at all in favor of toll roads here in NC. We already pay a heavy burden in property, income, and sales taxes. We have a highway trust fund that gets raided and never replenished by the state. We also hear about the need for education spending "for the children". Now the same liberal side that wants to ram higher taxes and usage fees such as a toll road and anything "for the children" down our throats has a conflict. The proposed highway extension of I-540 would potentially "harm children".

Why? A day care center built in the 80's would be close to the proposed loop of 540 and could possibly be subject to (according to the News and Observer article)

"Noise pollution notwithstanding, exposure of these children to particulate emissions -- both during construction of the parkway and in its planned use -- is very likely to have adverse effects on their health".

OK, we are talking 120 yards. 1.2 football fields away. I have seen apartment complexes closer than that to the beltline. Now people want to whine about a single day care center? People want to slow down or halt the project of major highway construction over the proximity to a single day care? No, not taking the day care center by eminent domain...just being near it.

One neat quote in the article is this one.

"The pathway for the Triangle Parkway was reserved in 1957" before RTP was built, Teer said in an interview. "They knew it was there when they built that day-care center in the 1980s."

It is kind of hard to argue with that logic. It took 50 years for the road to be planned, but it is finally coming. The builders of that facility did so knowing about the coming highway but built anyway. That would be like me buying a house near the railroad tracks (which I did) and complaining about the train noise or proximity.

If anything, the day care center needs to relocate.

Been quiet on the blog this week

There isn't much to say, really. I have been working some longer hours and spending time with the wife. Teresa's birthday was Monday. She is getting older each year, as we all are. If she is ever going to squirt me a puppy, she had better do it soon...she ain't getting any younger.

Other than that, I could comment on the shooting at Virginia Tech. But what is there to say that has not already been seen in the media? Some whack job goes postal and the world is stunned. I was dismayed and a bit shocked when I saw a single shooting turn into 32 dead instead of the single killing I first heard about early in the morning.

My heart goes out to the families of the victims, the fellow students, and the faculty of VT. Also to the family of the shooter. The shooter's father, so I read yesterday, committed suicide upon learning about his son's deeds. Sad.

What is just as sad is how this entire scenario was immediately pounced upon by the manipulative and controlling leftists in this nation to force their political agenda and gun control on the public. Gun control laws would never have stopped this rampage. I am a bit amazed at how existing laws did not stop the purchase of two pistols by a man deemed mentally deficient. Existing policies did not stop someone from taking guns onto the campus but certainly kept law abiding citizens from defending themselves and others from evil.

The shooting had just happened and we heard liberals blaming President Bush for the killing by letting the assault weapons ban lapse. First, Congress had to pass a renewed ban, which it did not. George Bush can not veto a bill that does not come to his desk. Secondly, the AWB did not include the weapons this man had. Even the large capacity magazine ban would not have affected this lunatic, since he most likely did not have high capacity magazines.

Don't let the facts stand in the way, though. Liberals who believe that only law enforcement and the military should have weapons were not willing to lay down their lives to save others on that campus...nor were there any law enforcement or military present at the time of the shootings. Ergo, it was and will always be left to the citizenry to stop such madness.

I thought all of this was painfully obvious, so I have not done much writing, nor felt the compulsion to do so. That is the beauty of a blog. I write when I want to.

Annexation and school bonds

I didn't write about the obvious results of the last town council meeting here in Selma last week. I debated about whether to report on it or just leave it alone, referring to the annexation. As I said at the previous town council meeting to some residents of McCormick Heights, the decision was already taken even before the public hearing.

For the record, here is the article on the annexation from The Selma News:

Selma annexes 5 areas on 3-2 vote

Despite near unanimous objections from residents in McCormick Heights, Selma Town Council proceeded Tuesday night with the forced annexation of five areas around town which included the residential McCormick Heights subdivision.

But, it was not a unanimous decision by Council, as it took action in a nearly packed Town Council Chamber.

Council members Jackie Lacy and Jeff Weaver voted against the forced annexation. Lacy gave a detailed explanation of her no vote prior to casting her vote. Weaver said after the Council meeting he had no comment on his vote against annexation.

Council members Gary Jackson, Debbie Johnson and Mayor Charles Hester voted in favor of the annexation.Despite near unanimous objections from residents in McCormick Heights, Selma Town Council proceeded Tuesday night with the forced annexation of five areas around town which included the residential McCormick Heights subdivision.

But, it was not a unanimous decision by Council, as it took action in a nearly packed Town Council Chamber.

Council members Jackie Lacy and Jeff Weaver voted against the forced annexation. Lacy gave a detailed explanation of her no vote prior to casting her vote. Weaver said after the Council meeting he had no comment on his vote against annexation.

Council members Gary Jackson, Debbie Johnson and Mayor Charles Hester voted in favor of the annexation.

------------

One item not widely reported in the media is the resolution by the town council to support the upcoming May 8th referendum for school and recreation bonds. The council passed the resolution without reading it in public or publishing it. I had to get a copy from the town clerk. Thank you, Fran Davis. I appreciate that. Here is the resolution:

WHEREAS, the Town of Selma is dedicated to maintaining a strong and supportive working relationship with the Johnston County Schools to provide superior academic instruction and outstanding educational opportunities to its youth; and

WHEREAS, the Town of Selma is also dedicated to maintaining a strong, viable community college program so that Johnston County Schools graduates can continue their educational careers and adults from all walks of like can engage in continuing education; and

WHEREAS, the Town of Selma is committed to attaining and preserving the highest quality of life for its citizenry through its partnership with the local Board of Education and Johnston Community College; and

WHEREAS, the school population of Johnston County continues to grow at an accelerated rate requiring additional school facilities; and

WHEREAS, the people of Selma and all of Johnston County have been dedicated to the cause of new construction for schools to accommodate this growth; and

WHEREAS, the Town of Selma desires to assist the Board of Education in meeting its facility needs for the benefit of our youth, our citizens and our community; and

WHEREAS, the Town of Selma recognizes that a commitment to quality education results in an elite world force which attracts commerce and spurs economic development at the benefit of the town’s people; and

WHEREAS, North Carolina Statute 115C-503 authorizes a local board of education to petition the local board of county commissioners for an election to ascertain the will of the voters as to whether bonds for school facility purposes may be issued;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Town of Selma supports the education and recreation facilities bond referendum scheduled for May 8, 2007.

This resolution was duly considered and approved by the Town of Selma at its meeting on April 10, 2007.

I have already written my opinion on the bond issue. Unfortunately, voters here in North Carolina have never seen a bond issue they didn't support. I see very little criticism of the spending habits of the government schools. There is always the guilt trip laid on people for not supporting the bonds, because as we all know, they are "for the children". That lame excuse goes a long way with the gullible sheeple that vote in this state and with those who don't have sufficient spine to stand up against the majority.

I have that spine, and I have even rewritten a new resolution that I would love to see passed but will never happen. Here it is:

WHEREAS, the majority of the burden for paying taxes in Johnston County is unfairly borne by property owners, many of whom do not have children in public schools; and

WHEREAS, the school system already gets millions of dollars in financial support from the county, the state, and the federal government; and

WHEREAS, the school system population is growing as a direct result of the influx of illegal immigrants that are already given government benefits, and education not necessarily available to long term or native residents; and

WHEREAS, there are charter schools in this state that thrive with creative means of utilizing facilities for their academic institutions; and

WHEREAS, many of these same charter schools are able to finance new school construction without the benefit of the additional monies supplied to the public schools for school construction, which is the reason for the aforementioned school bond; and

WHEREAS, the public schools have a lower level of academic achievement today than any time in documented history of academics in this nation; and

WHEREAS, the very innovators of the concept of smaller class are the ones who are currently abandoning that concept as flawed, expensive, and non-productive; and

WHEREAS, the government has already indentured the taxpayers of this county, municipality, state, and nation with a high level of indebtedness far greater than at any time in history; and

WHEREAS, government construction and administration projects are notoriously inefficient and great wastes of taxpayer monies; and

WHEREAS, neither the Johnston County School System nor Johnston Community College have demonstrated sufficient efforts so as to ensure the utmost in stewardship and efficiency with existing taxpayer monies; and

WHEREAS, the taxpayers of this state have already been swindled by inefficient government initiatives such as "Smart Start" and "More at Four"; and

WHEREAS, private and home schools have, in general, been demonstrated to surpass the education quality of our public schools; and

WHEREAS, there is no freedom of choice as to where parents may send their children in the public school system, thereby creating competition in education thereby boosting academic performance; and

WHEREAS, recreational facilities are a nice thing to have for the county and municipalities but are not necessities thereof; and

WHEREAS, there are far more important things to spend taxpayer monies upon than recreation facilities such as infrastructure improvements;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Town of Selma encourages the county's voters to defeat the education and recreation facilities bond referendum scheduled for May 8, 2007.

I am a little suspicious of this bond, since I can not seem to find much information on it. It has been mentioned in the local newspapers in the past, but I am looking for more dollar figures as well as any mention of who paid for the billboards giving support to the bond referendum. I have been "googling" and looking on county and school sites. No real info so far on the bond.

Anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. Talk show segment on same Saturday night.

The anniversary of the sinking of the R.M.S. Titanic is Saturday. I will be interviewing one of the foremost experts on the Titanic, Dave Tuttle. Dave does presentations for schools, libraries, and other talk shows. As a matter of fact, I will be accompanying Dave to do a talk segment on 680 WPTF in Raleigh this evening.

Tune in to learn the true history of The Titanic and its sinking. Call in with your questions, and let "Mister Titanic" answer you. Here is my host page for the show.

Baffling government waste

I know of several food banks that could have used some assistance to feed poor people. We as a nation dole out money for people to buy food. We hear about homeless and hungry people constantly. And yet our government just threw out $40 million of food? What a waste. There is absolutely no excuse for this. Rather than explain, I will just give you the story from the Boortz web site.

FEMA FLUSHES ANOTHER $40 MILLION

Remember when the doom and gloom crowd was predicting a record-setting hurricane season in 2006 because of global warming? It didn't happen. What a surprise.

Today we learn that FEMA had to throw out $40 million worth of food last year because they ran out of refrigerated warehouse space. What a waste of everything. That could have paid for quite a few empty house trailers and debit cards for "refugees" to spend.

So what happened? FEMA, stung by criticism that they didn't deliver supplies fast enough to those affected by Hurricane Katrina, put into position all this food in case another hurricane came along. It never happened....and so it all went to waste. Add this to the $900 million on trailers that were never used, the $1.8 billion spent on hotels and cruise ship rooms...well, the list goes on and on. Oh ... and don't forget the hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of ice FEMA stored in Florida last year. Senator Joe Lieberman called it a senseless waste of taxpayer money...no kidding.

And just where is the outrage against the global warming crowd that predicted the record hurricane season? Maybe we should charge them the $40 million for all the food that was thrown out.

So Imus gets fired for a joke but those who truly are racist and cry racism or OK?

I tire of the constant cries of racism by those who want to play victim. When firefighters respond to a fire situation reported through the 911 dispatch, there is a clock running. All communications are recorded. Time stamps are on audio recordings, on logs, and phone calls. It is sort of hard to cry that firefighters don't arrive in a timely fashion when the logs show a decent response time. This is just another incident in which someone is looking for an opportunity to be offended or become a victim. Even if the response time was slow, what does that have to do with racism? Give me a flippin' break.

From the WMPM news site:

Commissioner, Firefighter Denies Claims Of Slow Response To Fire In Minority Neighborhood - A Benson woman has questioned the response time of the Benson Fire Department to a house fire in her neighborhood. Town Commissioner Will Chandler, a 32-year veteran of the fire department, said race has never played an issue in crews responding to fire calls. Phyllis Alford appeared before the Benson Town Council this week saying she had heard it took firemen 30 minutes to arrive at a house fire on East King Circle and when they arrived, they found a broken fire hydrant out front. Chandler said fire departments are heavily regulated and when they are dispatched by the Johnston County 911 Center, they only receive the address and whether the structure is occupied. "When we get a page and we’re busting our butts, it does not say white, black, etc." Commissioner Chandler told Alford. Chandler went on to say firefighters were being called "white MF’s" by a bystander as they attempted to douse the flames, which were already showing when they arrived. Johnston County 911 Director Jason Barbour told WMPM the response time to the March 20 call by Benson firefighters was 8 minutes and 16 seconds. The department’s average response time to every call they answered in 2006 was 8 minutes and 19 seconds. Town officials heard concerns about a broken fire hydrant following the house fire, but utility officials found the hydrant to be working properly. Fire hydrants are tested twice each year in Benson, Chandler told Alford. Mayor Jerry McLamb said Benson had one of the best fire departments in the nation.

OK, so the very men who came to help were called racist names. Who is racist? Are the 20 firefighters who arrived to risk their lives and sacrificed their time and effort for the benefit of others the obvious racists? Or is it the ungrateful wretches who hurled racial insults at the firefighters?

Notice that the woman who whined to the town commissioners was only reacting to a rumor, which had no basis in fact. If you don't know the details, then shut up and stop making a fool of yourself.

I don't disparaige the Benson Fire Department, but I do take issue with the quote by the mayor of Benson that Benson "had one of the best fire departments in the nation." I doubt it highly. There are many fine departments in this country that I am sure far surpass anything we have in this area. I have seen it with my own eyes, so I don't buy that statement. Again, I am not saying that Benson sucks, just that I doubt they are among the best in the nation. They probably have great people who work with that department and do an outstanding job. I just know something about the fire service, that's all.

Someone who doesn't read for comprehension

Here is a voice mail comment from someone who obviously didn't seem to get at all what I wrote in my latest LaPlante's Rants column. For some reason, it sounds like she thinks I wrote negatively regarding the use of the term "Blacks", when I actually wrote that it was disrespectful for the authors of the NC Senate bill and media articles to have used the spelling "blacks". I personally find it disrespectful to not capitalize a proper noun when referring to an entire group of people. This lady obviously did not read and comprehend prior to dialing.

An awesome commentary on the Don Imus situation

This commentary is absolutely dead on and awesome. I love this quote from the column.

"an hourlong press conference over a man who has already apologized, already been suspended and is already insignificant is just plain intellectually dishonest. This is opportunism. This is a distraction."

I wish more people thought like Jason Whitlock.

Because as we all know, the federal government does not have enough debt or wasteful spending

Government is rarely efficient at anything it does. The federal government, of course, seems to be the worst offender. The feds just keep the suckling going off their teats. Political pandering is everywhere, and Bob Etheridge is one of the kings of pork. You would think that he owns the Nahunta Pork Center's D.C. location.

Bob Etheridge prides himself on bringing tax dollars back to North Carolina. I have a much better idea. How about lowering taxes and cutting all unnecessary spending at the federal (and state) levels so that we have enough money in the pockets of taxpayers to fund our own education projects? What is so hard about that? Why not leave that money in North Carolina to begin with?

Money, by the way, is NOT the answer to better education. It may help, but it is certainly not the answer. Quality education and standards thereof IS the answer. Government creates the poor education system and then demands more money to fix the problem they created. It is all about the leftist agenda. Read "The Communist Manifesto" and what it says about government education. We have it here.

In reading the U.S. Constitution, I am still wondering where the part is about the federal government regulating or funding education.

From the WMPM web site:

Etheridge Legislation Would Provide $25 Billion For School Construction Bonds - Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-Lillington) has announced that he will introduce legislation to provide $25 billion for school construction bonds. Etheridge made the announcement at Aversboro Elementary School in Garner, which has 10 trailers and is 200 students above capacity. Following the announcement, Etheridge toured the school's facilities to see the effects of crowding first-hand. "This is a win-win proposal for our schools, our children and our communities. It will help us to build new schools and get our children out of trailers and into quality facilities where learning can flourish," said Etheridge. The America 's Better Classroom (ABC) Act of 2007 will provide a federal tax credit to bond holders to pay the interest on local school bonds. The state or school district would only be responsible for repaying the principle. The bill will provide federal support in partnership with local officials to leverage about $25 billion in bonds for school construction, which could provide millions in interest-free school construction bonds for new schools in North Carolina . The legislation will be deficit-neutral and will not result in new taxes or more borrowing from foreign countries. It will meet all pay-as-you-go requirements passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in January. North Carolina would receive approximately $448 million under the legislation. For each $1,000 of school bonds, states or local school districts would save as much as $500 in total payments.

The State House of Representatives whimps out

Following in the footsteps of the State Senate, the House of Representatives has passed a resolution to apologize for slavery. Here is the N&O story. You can hear my hour long monologue on this topic "Straight Shooting". If anyone wants the mp3 file or CD of the show just let me know. I went pretty in depth on the fallacy of the whole concept.

Duke rape accuser named

Since Crystal Gail Mangum of Durham is no longer officially a sexual assault victim, her identity has finally been made public. The News and Observer has made public her name. It has also been on WRAL news and on The Drudge Report. I am sure the info is elsewhere. Here is the editor's blog on the topic. Drudge links to The Smoking Gun.

I have a hard time picturing Crystal Mangum as a stripper. Either she is better looking than her photo online and those shown on TV or the standards for being a stripper are pretty low.

The sad part is that race pimp Jesse Jackson will still make sure her college tuition is paid. Forget the fact that she is a known liar and four time criminal.

As much as I thought that Don Imus' comments towards the Rutger's women's basketball team were stupid and in poor taste, if there was a person that should be called a "nappy headed ho", it would be this woman. She is a criminal, made false rape charges, just had a child out of wedlock, had the DNA of two different men inside her when she was tested after the rape allegation, and she was working as a stripper. In my book, that qualifies.

Duke Lacrosse end result as expected

When the whole Duke Lacrosse sexual assault allegations came out, it sure sounded to me like some low life wanting to profit from a bunch of rich White boys. As it turns out, I wasn't far off. As I figured, the charges against the three defendants were dropped today. If they are in deed not guilty, then I rejoice. If they were actually guilty, then justice was not served. Granted, nobody in the general public knows all the details, but from all I heard (and who in the Triangle area hasn't heard tons of coverage for the last 13 months?) the entire case seemed to be a sham and Mike Nifong was incredibly irresponsible.

It seems that there was insufficient evidence to proceed. There was not some technicality, there was just plain insufficient evidence.

In such a case, the complaintant should end up paying for legal fees incurred by the three families. Also, Mike Nifong, the State, and the governmental agencies responsible should be liable for expenses, as well. It is only fair. Three young men had their lives put on hold, names disgraced, reputations ruined, and education deferred. This is just wrong and true justice would be to have their expenses covered at a minimum.

This was a political manuveur by Mike Nifong, pure and simple. There were great inconsistencies in testimony and evidence. I am just glad it is over now, because we have heard way too freakin' much about this case over the past year. North Carolina and Duke University have been inpugned across the nation. One woman with false allegations has seriously injured the lives of three families, an entire sports team, and a university. Nifong will get what he deserves, I hope.

The only person who really benefitted from this was a no talent radio hack named Kevin Miller who got incessant national television and radio time as an "expert" on the case. I am glad he is torturing the ears of other radio listeners in another state now.

NC Socialists won't give up on gun control

From the group, Grass Roots NC:

'GUN BUYER REGISTRATION ACT!'

THIS JUST IN FROM THE

'VICTIM DISARMAMENT SESSION'

In the 2005 session of the NC General Assembly, your overwhelming input was crucial in killing a bill GRNC dubbed "The Gun Buyer Registration Act." As is so often the case with gun control bills, however, the bill has risen from the dead this year as HB 1287, sponsored by the usual suspects: Reps. RONNIE SUTTON (D-Robeson, GRNC 1-star), PRICEY HARRISON (D-Guilford, GRNC 0-star), MAGGIE JEFFUS (D-Guilford, 0-star) and VERLA INSKO (D-Guilford, 0-star).

Ironically, although the bill is entitled "Report Denial of Some Pistol Permits," it actually registers ALL denials, even for the arbitrary reasons described below.

IF PASSED, HB 1287 WOULD:

* REGISTER anyone who is denied a pistol purchase permit by his sheriff into a DATABASE with the State Bureau of Investigation.

* Keep the denial in the SBI database for 8 YEARS.

* Require the denial to appear in all subsequent records checks.

SHERIFFS HAVE BROAD LATITUDE IN DENYING PERMITS:

Unlike concealed handgun permits, which are "sheriff shall issue," sheriffs have broad latitude in denying pistol purchase permits. Reasons for which sheriffs may deny permits under G.S. 14-404--beyond finding a criminal background--include:

* Limiting number of permits issued per year.

* Deciding that you are not of "good moral character."

Translation: Let's say you are a resident of Durham County, where the sheriff demands you bring someone to attest to your "character." Let's say you make the application but are unable (or unwilling) to provide the "character witness." Or perhaps you forgot that you had already been issued as many purchase permits as the sheriff decides you ought to have, and you submit another. Congratulations. In either case, you would now be enshrined in the SBI database.

So much for global warming

We had azaleas and dogwoods in bloom. My lawn was turning green again. Then, we got a cold snap over the weekend. My lawn is going back to brown. My azalea blossoms are dying prematurely. I spoke to someone in the NC mountains yesterday. They got an inch of snow and the area's strawberry crop was ruined.

Hey, Al Gore...an inconvenient truth...my butt.

The pictures I posted earlier showed gorgeous blooms. Here is what my azaleas looked like this morning.

Hey, y'all...I am a finalist. Cool.

Hey, y'all. Just to let you know, I just found out that I am a finalist in a contest put on by one of our Raleigh area TV stations. They have a promotion going on http://nbc17.com/midatlantic/ncn/shopping/davis_park_rtp_office.html (for details. I am already nominated) to find someone who "gives back" to their community. The winner gets $1000 donated to the charity of his/her choice. The voting begins later this week, as shown in the email, below on www.nbc17.com. Feel free to vote later this week! Contact me if you have any questions.


----- Original Message -----
From: JBarron@wncn.com
To: mrtitanic@peoplepc.com
Sent: Monday, April 09, 2007 3:22 PM
Subject: Troy - RTP Hero Contest


Just an FYI, Troy is a finalist so if you would like to inform him of his nomination so that all of his friends, family and co-workers can vote for him!

The voting will take place later this week on nbc17.com.



Thanks
Jennifer





Jennifer Barron

WNCN NBC 17

Special Projects Manager

(p)919-835-6225

(f) 919-836-1685

jbarron@wncn.com

www.nbc17.com

Civil unions, so called

I still read three New Hampshire newspapers online each morning (ok, most mornings) and I follow major news stories there. That is where most of my family still resides and where I grew up. Occasionally, I find news stories that gain my attention. One is the New Hampshire House of Representatives passing a "civil unions" bill. Basically, it is a bill that grants equal status to homosexual couples as married heterosexual couples.

Contrary to the article's opening, I do not find at all that the creation of "civil unions" are "a victory for fairness and equality". Homosexuals are just as equal in the eyes of the law as I am. We are not talking about a race or sex. We are talking about choice. People CHOOSE to be homosexual or not. People do not choose to be born male or female; Negro, Caucasian, or Asian or [insert your own ethnic group here].

Homosexuals have the exact same rights to marriage as I do. They have the same right to co-habitate that I do. They can vote, own property, have free speech, freedom of association, freedom of religion, and the right to keep and bear arms just like I do. What they want in addition to that, however, is for me and the rest of society to acknowledge their choice as equal and grant equal status to their choice as my own.

This is where I shall certainly diverge from their so called rights paradigm. It has been said that "you can not legislate morality", and yet we do it all the time. There are laws regarding alcohol consumption, the use of drugs, regulations on operating an automobile, the purchase of firearms, the purchase of tobacco, the access to abortion mills, sexual predators, homicide, libel, rape, handicapped access laws, and anti-discrimination laws. All in one form or another are about morality.

Is it moral for me to be able to operate my automobile in any manner I see fit, to the exclusion of consideration of safety of others? If we don't legislate morality, then why is it unjust for me to take the life of another? Why can't I force myself on someone else sexually and it be fine in the eyes of the law? Because these are moral issues. Morality is necessary for an orderly society.

The homosexual agenda is to legislate morality, as well. They wish to use either the judiciary or the legislative branches of government to push their choice of lifestyle as acceptable, thereby violating the moral code of many other citizens.

Is it proper to force employers to offer health benefits to a man's boyfriend, simply because they are lovers? How about legal status equal to marriage? If two men or two women can do that, why not unmarried heterosexual couples? Is it fair to grant equal rights status to homosexuals who are adhering to their own moral code and yet not do so to unmarried heterosexuals who adhere to theirs? Is it fair to those who have gone through the proper channels of legality to form a marriage to grant such status to either of the other two groups?

Homosexuals are a small minority of the population. I do not for one minute believe the statistics that 10% of the population are homosexual (note that I do not and will not refer to them as "gay". That is one term that has been hijacked to mean something that it was never meant to be, is often an inaccurate descriptor, and is offensive to the actual meaning of the original word. Rainbows have also been hijacked in the same way). That is a grossly inflated statistic for propagation of a lie for justification of immorality.

I have yet to even touch upon religious connotations and violations of homosexuality. I am simply talking about logical, secular reasonings at this point. Obviously, I am not in favor of granting divergant sexual behavior the status of a civil right. We have laws against bestiality, which is merely a matter of morality. It, too, is divergant sexual behavior. Yet, nobody is clammoring for legitimizing their choice of behavior, much less offering protected legal status to those who practice it.

Can you imagine the problems we will have in such simple things as college admissions, civic groups, and the like? To offer civil union status, thereby legitimizing abhorrent behavior as just another minority group, would necessitate preferential treatment for jobs, college admissions, and even status in organizations such as The Boy Scouts of America.

Even if all that is legitimized is the equalized status of homosexual couples to married heterosexual couples, we still would have many issues to address. Should my employer be forced to shell out for health coverage for partners of sexual deviants? Why should I subsidize that behavior with my tax dollars as regarding government employees? Should my insurance rates go up to placate a group with a shared, chosen behavior? I own a dog by choice. Should not my employer be forced to give me health coverage for my Pekingese, too?

I personally do not feel it is appropriate to discriminate against people based upon sex or race. I do, however, believe it to be the right of anyone to do so. I will go so far as to say that any employer should have the right to NOT hire anyone they do not want to hire, even if that employer is stupid enough to exclude anyone of a particular sex or race. It is their business and they should be able to run it as they see fit, however stupidly that may be. If someone wants to overlook a huge portion of the work force and all qualified workers that just happen to be of a different race or sex, so be it.

I believe even more strongly that someone should be able to discriminate against people based upon their chosen moral code. If I do not want to hire a Muslim because I disagree with their code of moral conduct, I should be able to do so. If I don't want to hire a Mormon, a Jew, a Christian, a Catholic (not to be necessarily mistaken as Christian), or a Flying Spaghetti Monster adherent, it is my business. If I find homosexuality morally abominable, then I should be able to discriminate against a CHOSEN code of morality at my discretion. Someone who claims sin as a civil right tells me a lot about one's moral character. I would not choose to hire someone with that moral fiber, since I don't know what other moral equivalents that person may draw, such as graft and truthfulness (or lack thereof).

I have heard many arguments that civil unions or homosexual marriage would not attribute to deterioration of traditional family values. Personally, since I have a moral compass on this matter, it would not undermine my values. However, legitimacy by force of law does certainly have an influence on others. Here is where the undermining of such values is a legitimate claim. Parents who choose to take a moral stand against homosexuality and teach their children such would be in direct conflict with the law that would legitimize that behavior. We see the same effect in the abortion issue. The right to life has been dismissed and certainly minimized in favor of immoral behavior. This has directly affected the amount of life being terminated in this nation and families harmed by the promotion of promiscuous behavior.

Schools would also be forced to recognize homosexual lovers as legitimate parents. This is in direct conflict with the laws of nature, since two men or two women can not naturally become parents. There is a reason for the current design. School children would be forced to recognize homosexuals and their illegitimate children, adopted or otherwise, as legitimate family units.

The whole idea of having a protected class of people is based upon the concept of being otherwise powerless politically. Again, homosexuals have the same right to vote as I do. They are not devoid of the right to either citizenship or the vote, as Negroes were until the 13th and 15th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

For a protected class of people based upon behavior, homosexuals would enjoy the ability to claim a "hate crime" or "hate speech" when those of moral character teach contrarian to their own moral code. When a church or member of a religious group preaches that homosexuality is an abomination according to the Christian Bible, will that group or person be guilty of a "hate crime"? How about when three of the world's major religions all teach the same thing? How about when a religious group refuses to perform the same civil ceremony that is employed for heterosexual couples?

Dare I even get into the public health issues? The fact is that many homosexual couples are not monogomous. Many are, but the facts are that many more are not, and at a higher percentage rate. Sexual transmitted diseases are also higher. Hepatitis A and B are also higher amongst homosexual couples, since the method of transmission (hand to mouth) is more prevalent in that behavior.

There are no Constitutionally protected rights to sexual deviance. There is a reason for that.

As to the concept of not sanctioning "same sex marriage" but rather a "civil union" instead, it is like buying ketchup instead of catsup. Same thing, different name.

Straight Shooting

For those who missed it, I had another edition of "Straight Shooting" on blogtalkradio.com Saturday night. I hit the topic of North Carolina's proposed formal apology for slavery. Some of my positions may surprise you. To hear the show, you can use this player.

Physical senses getting better with age?

Perhaps those older than I can answer this one for me. I used to think that the physical senses such as taste and smell got weaker with age, as often do sight and hearing. I noticed over a year or so ago that I had a heightened sense of taste. Things have more vibrant taste than ever before. It was odd, but noticeable. One day it really dawned on me when foods that I was used to suddenly tasted better than before, or at least had more taste. I know that is an inadequate way of describing it, but I can't really think of another way of putting it. Perhaps that some things were more exquisite than ever before is one way.

I have also been noticing that I have a heightened sense of smell lately. Some things are more pungeant than before. Things that never used to cause a gag reflex have literally done so in the last month or more. Just this morning, I experienced an overwhelming smell that I have smelled thousands of times before. This morning it was almost overpowering and I would have gagged if I didn't leave that room.

I don't know if this is normal or not, but I will try to look up some information on this.

Cold day at the beach

Today was a cold Easter Sunday, or Resurrection Sunday, if you prefer. I am on call for work this weekend. Saturday was uneventful. Today, I had a communications network problem in Holly Ridge, right next to Surf City and Topsail Beach. It was real windy and cold at the coast today. However, it was still worth walking along the beach and going on a long pier. A cold day at the beach beats a gorgeous day inside an office.

Here is a shot I snapped on my cell phone.

Some common sense on proposed taxation

Finally, someone has shown some common sense in dealing with a proposed taxation in the Town of Smithfield. I am glad to see that a member of Smithfield's Town Council sees things clearly and calls it what it is. Whoever thought up that proposed tax is a bonehead.

From WMPM's news page:

Town Council Rejects $5 Vehicle Tax - With rising gasoline prices, Town Councilman Sidney Broadwell thought a proposal to levy a vehicle tax of up to $5 a year for every car in Smithfield was just too much. Residents already pay property tax on their cars and trucks. Calling the proposed $5 fee a "tax on top of a tax" Broadwell said the town had survived without the fee this long and felt the collections with the current motor vehicle tax was adequate. Councilman Charles Williams seconded Broadwell’s motion to reject a proposed $5 vehicle tax and the council voted unanimously not to implement the additional tax. About 9,400 vehicles are currently registered within the town limits and the tax would have generated about $47,000 per year, starting July 1. Currently, Benson levies a $3 vehicle tax. Clayton and Pine Level each levy a $5 vehicle tax. Funds generated by the tax in Smithfield would have been directed towards accelerating street resurfacing and sidewalks.

Mr. Broadwell is exactly right. There is already a vehicle property tax. An additional fee is a tax on top of a tax. Clayton, Pine Level, and Benson are using a double taxation on vehicles, which is just plain unethical. Have the guts to raise the property tax rate if you want to squeeze more tax money out of the citizens instead of doing the incremental/supplemental tax thing. When you call it a $3 or $5 fee, it does not seem like much and as if it is insignificant. When you call it a tax increase, people realize what it really is. I wish more elected officials had the same intelligence as Sidney Broadwell. Enough is enough.

Join me Saturday night for "Straight Shooting"

I will have another issue of "Straight Shooting" on blogtalkradio.com Saturday night at 6PM eastern time. I was slam full busy last weekend, so I didn't get to do a show, and I have been fairly busy throughout the week, as well.

The topic will be the NC Legislature's proposed formal apology for slavery. Feel free to listen and call in to discuss the issue.

Why gun control is a failure

There is one big reason why gun control fails. Only law abiding citizens will honor gun control laws. Criminals will be just that...criminals, and break gun control laws. Here are two perfect examples as seen on today's WMPM news site. Both stories are about criminals using or possessing guns. One is a felon who is prohibited from owning a firearm, yet he was caught with one anyway.

These people are the reason why you WANT law abiding citizens to have weapons. If they pull an armed robbery or threaten another citizen, an armed citizen can put a stop to it immediately if circumstances allow. If I remember correctly (and I am sure that this can easily be verified or corrected), there are some 2.5 million crimes thwarted by law abiding citizens brandishing a firearm.

Gun control laws only restrict honest people from owning a weapon. They obviously do not thwart the criminal element from owning a weapon.

Goldsboro Man Convicted Following Shooting Of Police Officer - A federal jury has convicted a Wayne County man on multiple charges stemming from the shooting of a Goldsboro police officer. Bobby Rawlings, 59, was convicted Monday for possession of a firearm by a felon, two counts of possession of cocaine, and two counts of carrying a firearm in a drug trafficking crime. Rawlings, a multiple convicted felon, shot a police officer in the chest last year during the execution of a search warrant at his residence. Rawlings only stopped firing at the officer when his weapon jammed. Three months before, Rawlings was stopped by the Highway Patrol and caught with cocaine and a loaded handgun. Rawlings is still awaiting sentencing.

Police Seize 87 Grams Marijuana, Loaded Handgun During Traffic Stop - Smithfield Police seized a quantity of marijuana, a loaded handgun, and drug paraphernalia Monday. Officers responded to a disturbance call in the parking lot of the Sunoco on East Market Street around 6:00pm. A truck fled from the convenience store before police arrived but was spotted outside Howard Johnson’s on Mallard Road . Samuel Wayne Hill, 17, of Braswell Road , Smithfield was arrested on several charges including maintaining a vehicle to keep a controlled substance, possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana, possession of a handgun by a minor, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Bail for Hill was set at $35,000.

I love spring in NC

April is my favorite month in NC. Here is why. I see this every day for a brief period around the end of March until mid April. The north side of our street blooms first with the dogwoods. My side of the street blooms almost two weeks later each year, with the pink dogwoods coming later than the white ones. My azaleas are just starting to bloom. I took these photos just this morning. Notice that I actually caught a bee pollenating one of the white azaleas in one picture. You may need to click on the picture to see it, though.