It’s interesting to me, thanks to the Coronavirus, how so many companies have suddenly projected their 2020 revenues down to zero per share for the year- in February. It’s almost as if they all knew that they were at the pinnacle of an inflated market and decided this was the perfect excuse to burst the bubble without it looking like they’d been the ones driving markets higher and higher without corresponding real revenue growth…

But that couldn’t be it, could it?

A series of discussions over on Leif Welhaven’s wall got me thinking. He posted about the latest vote against the NDO, which you can read about below.

I say it’s long past time that our citizens and city sat down and had a discussion that speaks to the heart of the opposition. I hear and read a lot support for the NDO, but when it comes time to get the necessary votes, the measure falls flat. The only way to get to the truth is to ask hard questions, demand honest answers and address the many reasons behind the opposition, whether those reasons are palatable or not. It will be tough, raw and very, very uncomfortable. It should be.

These three scenarios I’ve listed below represent a pretty wide section of the larger discussion I’m seeing about the NDO situation.

For or against, how would you approach these situations? What is your understanding and basis for your stance? How do you reconcile these scenarios against the history of our Country? The Civil Rights Act, the entire Constitution complete w/Amendments, the concept of personal freedom vs the Social Contract inherent in our Republic?

And, if I’ve missed a concern somehow related to one of the 3 scenarios, feel free to chime in. There are several issues that reach beyond the NDO itself, that strike at the heart of the ideals of our Country. We say we have the freedom to be virtually anything we want to be as long as it doesn’t harm others, but that isn’t true. We say we can love others even as we hate their personal choices. That has demonstrably and historically not been true. We demand personal freedom but are quick to oppose the consequences or responsibilities inherent with that freedom.

1) You operate a private business or service that caters to the public. Due to your stated religious beliefs you refuse service to the LGBQT community. Doesn’t matter what your service is, only that due to your stated beliefs, these people absolutely must not be served. You do not advertise openly and consistently that you refuse service to this group. In fact, the only way to find this out as a walk-in customer is to attempt to order your services and get turned away once you understand who is making the request.

You are concerned that the NDO will allow people to discriminate against you or possibly even sue you because of your beliefs. You may also feel that big government is forcing you to provide service to people you don’t want to.

2) You operate a wedding related business. Bakery, photography, East European Dub Step, the usual. Due to your personal religious beliefs, you refuse to serve the LGBQT community. Your beliefs outline quite clearly that marriage is between man and woman only, and they must adhere to that standard set forth in your religious writings. You do not advertise this openly, on signage, online or otherwise to the public. The only way to discover this is to be turned away as a potential customer. You also do not apply a rigorous qualifying test to couples looking to purchase your service. You have no exam, no list of pre-requisites that must be met in order to qualify as a marriage ordained by your God. Your only actual (unofficial)test is – Are you a member of the LGBQT community? Check Yes or No.

You are concerned that the passage of this NDO will open you up to lawsuits, accusations of discrimination and may hurt your business, livelihood and otherwise compromise your very strongly held religious beliefs. In addition, you may feel like the government and/or people are telling you what you’re allowed to believe.

3) You don’t operate a business or otherwise advertise for one. You don’t personally have a stake in the LGBQT discussion, “Live and Let Live,” you say. But you do have a problem when it comes to other people attempting to force their beliefs upon you, especially if they use the government to do so. You dislike most laws and the last thing you want to do is see another forced upon you, especially if it’s all just activist crap. If this were such a big issue anyways, why don’t people just go to a different location to buy what they want? After all, everybody is entitled to personal freedom.
https://www.ktvq.com/news/local-news/billings-non-discrimination-ordinance-fails-in-7-4-vote

Cancer sucks. I wish we were in a situation where Go Fund Me’s like this didn’t need to be a thing, but that hasn’t happened yet. Please consider this family when thinking of your charitable options this month. Thank you!
https://www.gofundme.com/f/jeff-shirleys-leukemia-battle?utm_source=facebook

A great write up on our Declaration of Independence. As we move farther into this election cycle, not to mention our upcoming holidays for past presidents, military, independence, etc., it’s nice to take a refresher course on the why of what we chose to do. He’s got a great comparison/contrast on past and present as he goes down the list. I dare say more than a few of fellows will find themselves a bit surprised.
https://www.stonekettle.com/2020/02/those-who-forget-history.html

You don’t say?!

One of the things that the universe is really good at doing is forcing you to belly up to the table. Some people call it Karma, others the Golden Rule and still others, usually grandparents, they call it, “children of your own.” Regardless of the name, the situation is very similar – Do you walk… Continue reading You don’t say?!

So, came across this on Twitter. It’s funny as hell, and also contains quite a bit of truth. Note to my fellow gun owners, some of you might be offended by this person. That’s OK, I’m here for you. Also, guys that aren’t very secure, you’re likely to be butt hurt. I’m here for you, too. On the other hand, if you can get over yourself, this is damn funny.

So, with all credit to Gabrielle Blair @ https://twitter.com/designmom/status/1225052177925799937

When I hear men worshipping guns and talking about how there’s nothing that will stop them from defending their family, my mind goes to Naaman in the Bible. Do you remember Naaman? He was a great military leader, and he also had leprosy.

The prophet told him to bathe in the Jordan River 7 times to be cured. He refused. In fact he was pissed off the cure was so simple. So his servants said: If he’d asked you to do some great thing, you would have done it, but you’re not willing to go bathe in the water?

That’s like men bragging about how they’re ready and willing to protect their family. They’re picturing doing *some great thing*, but protecting your family is almost always much more mundane.

A few conversations with God to illustrate:
Conversation #1:

Man: Hey God, I just want you to know I am committed to protecting my family at all costs.

God: Gosh, that’s great to hear.

One of the main things I need you to do to protect your family is laundry. Tons of laundry. You know kids… — they’re so susceptible to infections and viruses. Pinworms, athlete’s foot, lice, strep throat, colds and flues. Pneumonia and diarrhea are *serious killers* of children under five. The list is endless. So you’re going to need to do laundry pretty much daily.
Launder their socks & underwear, their sheets. Put their sneakers through the wash. I can’t emphasize this enough: protecting your family involves a lot of laundry.

Man: Oh. Um.

I was thinking more along the lines of a masked intruder with a gun at 2 AM raping my family.

God: First of all, stop fantasizing about your family being raped.

Second, do you know the stats on break-ins? The vast majority happen when no one is home, and only a small percentage are armed. Home alarms and dogs reduce the risk even more. Even if you do end up being the rare house with an armed-break-in-while-home, you want to shoot someone for over your TV? Isn’t that a ridiculous overreaction?

You’re not in the mob. I assure you there’s a slim-to-none chance you’ll need to defend your family at gun point.

If you really want to protect your family, laundry is where I need you to focus.

Man: But. But. I bought all these guns. And ammunition. And I’m telling you, if anyone threatens my family, I’ll be ready.

God: Is there anything you’re willing to do to protect your family that’s not the plot of an action/thriller?

Man:

God:

Man:

God: Sigh.

Conversation #2:

God: I’d like you to protect your family.

Man: You bet. I’m ready. If anyone touches my kids, they are dead meat.

God. Okay. Well, to protect your family, the thing I need you to do is teach thorough hand-washing.

Basically, you’ll need to carefully wash your kids’ hands several times a day until they’re old enough to do it themselves. At that point you’ll need to supervise the hand-washing for several years until you know they’ve mastered it.

And from then on, you just need to spend another ten years asking them to wash their hands multiple times a day — before school, after school, before meals, after potty breaks, etc.. Cool?

Man: Well. Um.

Is there an assignment that’s more related to guns?

God: Nope. The main thing is hand-washing.

Having guns in the house actually puts your kids in harm’s way. Surely, as a protective parent, you’ve read about the dangers of keeping and storing guns at home?

Man:

God: Let me guess. If I need someone to dig a hole on an asteroid, plant a bomb in the hole to blow up the asteroid, in order to save the Earth, you’ll be first in line.

Man: HECK YES

God:

Man:

God: Helpful.

Conversation #3:

Man: I’m ready to defend my family!! My guns and ammunition are stocked.

God: So glad to hear you’re ready to defend your family. Here’s the key thing I need you to do: Never drink alcohol again.

Man: Wait. What?

God: Well I’m sure you know motor vehicle accidents and gun accidents are top killers of children. And mixing alcohol with driving or guns makes them far riskier. If you’ve been drinking, there’s a higher likelihood you’ll drive drunk, lose your temper and hurt the kids…
… or just be irresponsible with your gun. So if you want to protect your family, I would recommend giving up alcohol as a good way to start.

Man:

God:

Man: Can’t I just shoot some bad guys?

God: So then, NOT actually interested in protecting your family.

Conversation #4:

God: Are you ready and willing to protect your family?

Man: YES. Come at me. My house is fully armed and I keep a handgun under the passenger seat. I am READY.

God: Oh. Well. The thing I need you to do is feed your kids plenty of healthy food.

Do the grocery shopping. Plans the meals. Stock the fridge. Cook dinner. And of course, do the dishes and keep the kitchen clean because you don’t want harmful bacteria taking over.

Man: But. I mean. I don’t even know how to cook.

God: How did you learn about your weapons?

Man: Youtube.

God: Are there cooking videos on Youtube?

Man:

[End of conversations]

I’m often told that men have instincts to protect their family and how Protector is their natural role.

I think the case can be more easily made that men have zero natural instincts to protect their family.

If such an instinct had evolved, why wouldn’t men check back with any woman they’d had sex with, to see if they’d caused a pregnancy?

How can we say men have an instinct to protect their family when there are children the world over with fathers who have no idea they exist?

It’s much easier to argue that mothers have a strong instinct to protect their families. Mothers still do the bulk (by far the bulk) of the parenting. Which means mothers do the real things that actually protect their kids every day all day long.

Men demanding guns for their role as protector-of-the-family are full of it. They are only willing to protect in make-believe instances that are never likely to happen. When asked to *actually* protect their family, by doing something like laundry, they can’t be bothered.