“Would-be Terrorists can buy guns, but can a reporter? NO.”
It was a sting; Neil Steinberg of the Chicago Sun Times was given an assignment to buy an AR 15, hopefully to prove how easy it is to acquire the bogeyman rifle that scares Liberals. Like most stings, there was an element of humor, not because the sting failed; no, it was Steinberg’s foolish attempt to salvage the article and prove to his readers that he wasn’t rejected because of alcohol and spousal abuse, but because he was a reporter. Like the sanctimonious drunk who is played for a fool and continues to deny a problem with alcohol during a drunken rant, Neil should have been advised to forget the story or to write it accurately without bias.
With a pious distaste for rifles and the people who buy them, Neil traveled to a source of evil, Maxon Shooter’s Supplies, in Des Plaines, IL, to buy an infamous AR 15.
Neil’s suspicions were confirmed, when he noticed a clerk’s dagger tattoo on a forearm. Neil asked a few questions about the ARs and the clerk asked Neil for his FOID card (Firearm Owner’s Identification Card). The rule was stressed: No card, No gun.
He decides to purchase the rifle and is passed on to Mike, who supposedly recognizes Neil’s name as a reporter (like Hemingway, famous writers find it difficult to escape their fame and an integral part of the story, for without this key, he would have no excuse and no story). With Neil’s cover blown, Mike has Neil fill out the required paperwork and Neil assumes he will pick up the rifle the next day, upon approval.
Sadly, later in the day, Neil was informed by Sarah of Maxon’s, that they could not sell him the rifle because he had failed the background check.
Neil was incredulous at the thought of being rejected by a gun store that hired men with dagger tattoos. He demanded to know why he was rejected.
Sarah replied that Maxon’s was not required to give out the reasons.
Undaunted, Neil was convinced that he was rejected because of his occupation.
Maxon’s was given an opportunity to respond to Neil’s allegations and they sent a lengthy response detailing Neil’s history of alcoholism and spousal abuse. Neil’s cover was blown more completely than he realized, but he was undeterred. Those were pathetic excuses not to sell him a rifle. Gun dealers preferred to sell to terrorists and crazy people, while rejecting upstanding drunks and wife beaters.
A professional horseman for over 50 years, Skook continues to work with horses. Skook has finished an historical novel, Fifty Thousand Years, that traces a mitochondrial line of DNA from 50,000 years ago to the present. The story follows a line of courageous women, from the Ice Ages to the present, as they meet the challenges of survival with grit and creativity. These are not women who whimper of being victims, they meet the challenges of survival as women who use their abilities without excuses or remorse, these women are winners, they are our ancestors.
Fifty Thousand Years is available in paperback and e-book, it is getting great reviews. You can purchase a copy here; Visit me on Facebook.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Dylantheauthor
@Songbird: I have driven through WV many times and I have worked near the borders. The state is beautiful and the people are rich in culture and personality. I make a habit of stopping in small towns to engage the locals in conversation. I could spend the rest of my life in those hills and never want for characters or stories to use in my writing. Be proud of West Virginia it is a great state.
When you debate a black Liberal, who denigrates your state, be sure to mention, when and why, West Virginia broke away from the slave state of Virginia.
@Skookum: The state motto: Mountaineers Forever Free! Thank you!
@kitt: Thank you for your comment. I wish I had a sheriff like your brother in law’s. I had the opposite problem. I did research the law and found out it was illegal to kill anyone’s farm animal whether on their property or yours. There was a $500 or more fine for each animal and a felony. There was a procedure all spelled out. If farm animals did damage someone’s property, there would be compensation. The cops were not interested.
The problem with killing my dogs, not worthy enough to be a crime, and harassment went on for 20 yrs. When I got my horses he freaked. Threatened to kill them immediately. I started to carry a hand gun when I was out in my fields.
My horses got out of my fence 4 times over 10 yrs. He called the law accused me of trespassing if I crossed the road to get them out of his unfenced pasture where they did no harm but eat some grass. I always knew right away if they got out. One officer did tell him, “They are horses. That’s what they do.” Anyone’s fence can go down due to a falling tree, power outage or deer.
Anyone else would have helped you catch your horses and help you fix your fence. Those are typical neighbors in WV.
The end result was I sent my horses to a family member and left when he shot the only dog he feared, my Doberman. It just goes to show again people need to be able to defend themselves. And that assholes are everywhere, even in politics.
My sexist comment, if I had been a man I would have beat the S***t out of him years ago.
@Songbird: It’s almost heaven. That’s what I heard, anyway.
@Songbird: If you had a man he wouldn’t have bothered you at all, guys like that dont have a “set”.
@Bill:
I saw what you did there. 🙂
@kitt: That is true.
@Bill: It really is.
@kitt: For the rest of the story: I talked to an old friend who offered to take his motorcycle gang down and give him a come to Jesus meeting. He died and it didn’t happen. I hollered from the road and asked him to come over and talk to me. I made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. I told him I was selling out and there would be people on my land and if he did anything to harass them or sabotage the sale in any way he would be stuck with me as a neighbor FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE. He never said a word to anyone and I have the last laugh. I still kept 7 acres. He didn’t get did of me.;-)
@Songbird: Do you know what put the bug up his ass to begin with, did he ever ask you out and get shot down ?
@Songbird: It’s not a crime to kill your dogs in West –God damn–Virginia??
@Richard Wheeler: I dont know why the State Police did not settle Songbirds problem, up here the police would step in, rather than let men with semi automatic weapons work things out.
I do know if someone killed one of my poochies there would be hell to pay.
@Richard Wheeler:
Snob.
Since West Virginia has indirectly become part of the topic, let me proffer our sympathies to all the flood victims in West Virginia.
@Richard Wheeler: No it is not. I am sure there are city, and municipal laws that make it illegal there. I was not covered by those in the country. Farm animals yes but dogs no. Again, you cannot rely on law enforcement to protect you. You have to be able to defend yourself. What hell to pay that would not be illegal on my part? I tried to find one.
@Ditto: Thank you, it really is tragic.
@kitt: The state police could not get involved over the dogs and threats because a case was already opened at the county sheriff’s office, he admitted that was a black hole that cases never came out of. It was a jurisdiction problem. He expressed frustration and sympathy over my plight. It was a nightmare, like a horror movie. People just don’t really believe this kind of things occur or it could ever happen to them. People think the police will be there to protect them and in real life that is not true.
The state police did come when he shot the car windshield out. Actually they were already on their way because he was out of control a couple miles away at someone else’s house. As I said they could not find the
bullet. They gave me their card. My son in law did follow up with a fist fight and it calmed things down for a while. Neighbor was never charged for anything that day. Things got much worse for me when I was there by myself the last few yrs.
@kitt: kitt there really was no reason for him to act the way he did. We did nothing to him. He was just an mentally unsound, evil SOB who lived to fight someone. He said, “This is my F****n ridge.” That was his screwed up mentality. Our mistake was in the beginning, trying to live in peace by him, turn the other cheek, I would try and talk him down over whatever he was upset over.
I did not turn him down for a date or anything so simple. He was always this way. I did not grow up there but came back to the country for a safe place for my kids to grow up. I found out he was constantly in fights at school and could not hold down a job because of his behavior.
An early example of his irrational behavior, screaming at me because we had “dusted” his car driving too fast on a gravel road. He screamed and carried on when I had a truck with gravel delivered for my driveway. The driver stopped to check the job out before putting it down. There was plenty of room for the neighbor to get by. He threatened to kill my dogs if they ever got on his property. So I always lived with that threat. There was no problem, he wanted to start one.
His son stomped on my daughter’s feet, who had a physical disability and his daughter tied her shoelaces together so she fell off the school bus. The school took care of that! I could go on and I am sure others have suffered more than we did in these type of situations. Unless you or someone you know lived something like this, you just can’t believe these things happen.
The county sheriff of a neighboring county overheard what was happening when I took my beagle to be put down. He shot my 12 yr old, crippled beagle who was hunting in the creek by my yard. The sheriff said he would not let that go on in his county.
The day I bought my horses and trailered them in, he told me they did not belong there. I could not bring them there. Really? On my property.
I fault the my county sheriff’s office more than anyone. He shot my daughter’s mini-pin’s ear off. We had the veterinarian backing us up and followed procedure. We thought if they even came out to investigate and question him (scare him a little?) it might help. The fat assed deputy said they were just too busy with a rape and murder (state police said that was a lie). We pestered them for months and they did absolutely nothing.
I often wondered if he had someone in law enforcement protecting him.
When everyone was gone on the farm but me, I did finally fight with the only way left, my mouth. I screamed back. I did “out” his loud mouthed, stupid wife. I knew for a fact his wife she was a lesbian (I knew it would hurt him, not saying anything bad about gay people!) and that I knew his daughter died OD instead of an undiagnosed heart problem. My husband worked with her boyfriend who was with her when she died. I said cruel things. That was the only time he ever walked away without saying anything more. So the anger amped up.
I imagined crimes I could commit in retaliation but I knew it was not right and I might get caught. I had a fantasy he would have a heart attack in the road and I would look down on him and tell him I was not calling 911 and he better prepare to meet his maker. He would die looking at me.
So for years I lived in fear with my dogs, “clinging to my guns and Bible.” I really did not want to shoot him and have to live with that and all the legal problems that would have followed. He definitely was getting to me. Law enforcement ignoring problems like this can and does lead to violence.
I don’t want to discuss this any more. It makes me feel very bad but I just wanted to point out we do need guns to protect ourselves. I have shared too much personal info but I was trying to make that point.
One final thing, his son texted my daughter and apologized for all the bad things he and his dad did to us. He said we did not deserve it. He admitted it was wrong. I figure he was working a drug rehab program or had found God. It did make me feel better. I am in a good place now and happy but WV will always be home, just like the song says.
PS The county sheriff ended up in jail for shooting at his own son, a minor, while drunk. Fortunately he actually lived in another county and the crime was investigated and prosecuted. The following sheriff left after found stealing from the county funds. I hope the new guy is better.
@Skookum: Thank You for your gracious comments. That is why I love it so.
@Songbird: Sounds Bi-polar, still the law enforcement officials were derelict Hell would be to pay I would be calling to state officials the newspaper, getting copies of every police report then printing them in the paper at election time. There are ways to make such a fuss they do their job. Get the neighbors to join in. Record his rantings, game cam his trespass. His kids lived what they learned, imagine the hell of having him as a parent.