East_TN_Patriot

Nothing will change as long as people refuse to admit that they are willingly being duped by the two-party system.  As long as folks keep voting for Republicans and Democrats, this is what you will continue to see.  Remember, the lesser of two evils is still evil.

Mine arrived as well.  Very nice looking and well-made.  After hearing some other comments I was a little worried about the size, but for my EDC needs, this is a great size.  Let's face it, for most uses you only cut with an inch or so of the blade anyhow.  Already clipped in my pocket and my Kershaw Leek will go in my glove compartment.  Thanks Willis!

I'm actually pleasantly surprised by the comments here on the gay kiss scene. I used to be person who had the attitude that homosexuality and transgender people have some sort of screw loose and chose to live a sinful life. It was how I was raised and that's the primary way people come to develop their worldview. As I grew older, had more life experiences and education, I came to question what I now see as a tired old belief system regarding LGBTQ issues. I figured out that people are people and we don't "choose" how we view our personal identity or sexual preferences. I learned that the simplisirc and literal interpretation of a selectively chosen Bible verse did not fit with the rest of what I read in the New Tesrament, which are the texts that define Christians. I met people, worked with people, and have had students who identified as LGBTQ and virtually all had to deal with the intolerance and stigmatization cast at them, most times backed up with some proof-texting from the Old Testament. Then I realized the absurdity of it all. The idea that I was a cop, have a graduate degree who teaches and does research, shoot guns, load ammo, do leather work, woodwork, can fix my own car, defend my own family, have a wife and two kids, a Christian, etc., but then realize there are people who would discount all of that and treat me as less of a person should I identify myself with a label other than heterosexual male. Frankly I'm glad the scene was there because it obviously brings this issue into the public discourse where it can be discussed and changed. Like one comment I read online said, "Wow. There are gays in zombie apocalypse just like in the real world." On that note, I would encourage you to consider supporting some upcoming legislation that seeks to add gender identity to the Tennessee Human Rights Act. Seems if we can support equal rights for gun owners we can support equal rights for people in general.

As I understood this, the Sig brace it was NEVER considered lawful to use it as a means to shoulder the firearm. The whole problem here is that we have too many people who can't keep their mouths shut and leave well enough alone, so they kept sending letters to the BATFE and forced them to put onto paper what the rest of us pretty much already knew in the first place. If you ask the BATFE whether something we know is probably unlawful is unlawful, then don't be surprised if you get confirmation of that. As I always saw it, I was going to get one and use it for its intended purpose, then if the world ever went to hell in a handbasket, it wouldn't make a lick of difference if I shouldered the darn thing or not. Frankly, if people keep asking these sorts of questions, there will likely come a time when the BATFE pushes to have the AR pistol subjected to NFA due to the potential of using buffer tube as a way to shoulder the firearm.

Yup. Thanks for that. The fact of the matter is that we have given the government a lot of legal authority to deal in mental health issues, which includes using force to take control of the mentally ill. Speaking from personal experience as a former LEO and someone who has seen the other side as a private citizen, the way we handle mental illness in this country is shameful. When someone is mentally ill, we expect the police to handle it, yet we don't give them any other tools beyond force to take the person into involuntary custody and transport them to a health facility. We don't send the paramedics who have medications and medical training; we send the folks with guns, batons, tasers, and training in use of force. The mentally ill person doesn't get to ride in an ambulance; they get handcuffed, patted down, and transported in the back of a patrol car. Once I called around seeking voluntary treatment when I was dealing with depression caused by a tremendous amount of personal stress and I ended up on the phone with a fellow who encouraged me to go to the ER where they could give me a referral for therapy. When I arrived, I was placed in an empty room, made to put on a paper gown, had all of my personal property taken from me, and told I was not free to leave. When I protested saying I was there for voluntary treatment, they said, "Sorry, but you gave up all of your rights when you said you wanted to kill yourself" and was threatened with law enforcement if I didn't comply. Long story short, I told the guy on the phone I was looking for treatment options because I was dealing with a lot of stress, and I knew from my law enforcement days that it was better to get help before things got so bad that I ended up suicidal or something. That was enough of a statement to have me held for an involuntary evaluation even though I said I wasn't suicidal and voluntarily sought treatment. I was treated like a criminal, plain and simple. Fortunately, I explained all of this to the person assigned to do my evaluation, and they apologized and said they hate how we have a "broken system" and they expect it to get worse with the "Obama-care" law. With mental illness being much like any other major illness, there is the potential for every single person to be labeled as a potential danger and subjected to the force of law that was previously only reserved for law violators. It's a big problem for sure, but one that most people aren't familiar with.

The recent focus on the mentally ill is nothing more than the latest effort to find some group of people to blame for our social problems. We have stigmatized mental illness so severely in our society that people are afraid to get treatment and people who have diagnosed mental illness are treated as if they are all potentially dangerous psychotics that need to be on a constant suicide watch. If you get cancer, people rush to your side and offer support. If you are suffering from mental illness, you are ignored and whispered about in hushed tones. The fact of the matter is that mental illness is no different than other forms of illness. Most people have some form of diagnosable mental illness at least once in their life, some people have chronic mental illness that can easily be treated with medication and/or therapy, and some have very serious mental illness that causes them substantial difficulty living a content and "normal" life. Some types of mental illness are more problematic than others. We know that many members of the military who have served in combat suffer from chronic mental illness, especially PTSD. We also know that many law enforcement officers suffer from PTSD due to the cumulative effects from long-term exposure to job-related stress. Individuals in these professions are typically very hesitant to seek mental health treatment, and as a result, suicide rates in these groups are much higher in comparison to the general public. We have stigmatized mental illness to the point that those who commit their lives to protecting our society are placing themselves at greater risk for mental illness and suicide because they know they risk losing their careers should they seek treatment. I dare say that a good number of TGO members are currently taking some sort of medication for mental health reasons. The overwhelming majority of people with mental illness are not inherently dangerous to others, but our society - including our lawmakers - has labeled those with mental illness as a group to be viewed with great suspicion and constantly at risk for losing their rights. Something as simple as seeking assistance during a mental health crisis can result in an involuntary hospitalization even if the individual is voluntarily seeking help to get control of their illness before it results in suicidal intent (the question of whether the government should have the authority to forcefully prevent you from taking your own life is another issue altogether). It's time to stop treating a huge group of law-abiding people as if they are potentially mass-murderers simply because a very small number of individuals who appeared to have severe mental illness committed a violent act.

It just seems that it's not the best comic book hero to emulate if you are someone who believes in the concept of rule of law.  I admit that the thought of armed military and police forces who adhere to a worldview that justifies vigilante justice isn't a good mix with the idea of a democratic society.

Over the past year or so, I've noticed many shooting accessories and clothing that displays the Punisher skull logo, especially for people in the law enforcement and military. Why all of the interest in the Punisher character? Maybe I'm looking at it all wrong, but I don't quite see the attraction. Thoughts?

I'm not missing out on this one. I'm in for one with a regular blade and I have no serial number preference.

Hispanic/Latino is an ethnic identifier, not race. In other words, you can be from an ethnic background that qualifies as Hispanic/Latino, but have different skin color. It's literally about data collection. It works the same way with sex, gender, and sexual orientation. They are related, but different aspects of a person's identity. Sex is biological, gender is a socially defined set of traits and how one "feels" about their identity within those social boundaries. Sexual orientation is one's sexual preference. If you've ever heard someone jokingly say "I'm a lesbian trapped in a man's body", what they are really saying is they are someone who was born a man, has a gender identity that is transexual (they actually feel feminine), and are heterosexual because their preference matches their gender identity.

Tennessee wouldn't accept my firearms training I received at the Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Training basic police academy, my firearms training I took at the academy in Florida, or my Police Firearms Instructor certification I had in Florida. I took that permit class and I literally knew more about shooting and self defense law than the instructor did. It's amazing how idiotic Tennessee's laws are.

Reading these comments, I think it's interesting to see how many are engaging in the same sort of rhetoric that anti-gun people use for firearms in general (the "why would anyone" type of logic).  Perhaps I am in the minority, but I don't see age as the issue here; it's the level of experience and skill the shooter possesses.  2 years old, 25 years old, or 80 years old, if the shooter is inexperienced and/or unable to effectively maintain safe control of a particular firearm, they shouldn't be using it until they have developed those skills.  If a 9 year old has been shooting since a young age and knows their way around a firearm, it is entirely possible they could safely and effectively handle an UZI.  Why would you let a small kid shoot an UZI?  The same reason any of us might choose to shoot an UZI; it's something we enjoy doing and if done properly, it doesn't result in the unintended death of another person.  I'm not going to insult anyone involved, but simply say that this is an example of how a seemingly minor lapse in judgement, something we all are guilty of from time-to-time, can lead to a tragic outcome.  The problem here was complacency on the part of the instructor.  My understanding of his background suggests he was reasonably well-trained and knowledgeable, but it seems he had a lapse in judgement in this case and this one cost him his life.  The parents are most certainly second-guessing their decision to allow their child to shoot this firearm, but they trusted the judgement of the instructor who should have known that this inexperienced shooter was not ready for a full-auto sub-machine gun.  

A gun safe thread. Always sure to be entertaining. :-)

You should just pay for a benefactor membership here and sell it in the classifieds.  Virtually no worries about getting screwed over as the folks here are monitored and generally great folks to deal with.  Plus you are supporting the forum.  Well worth the money.

MacGyver, I guess if #24 is available, put me down for that one since it will match my TGO lower. Willis, I'll be getting my payment to you as soon as I get payment for decent size holster order I'm about ready to ship out. BOLO for a PayPal in the next week or so.

Count me in. It will look good next to my TGO AR.

Ok, I can appreciate that. I know a wee bit about knives, but had never heard of this company before. Like I said, I don't mind paying more as long as I am really getting more for my money rather than paying for a name (I buy Wrangler jeans and not Levi's because they fit better and hold up just as well for half the cost, but I will spend more to buy a Sig over others without batting an eye because I think it's worth it). I want a solid carry blade that will last a long time and I certainly appreciate a finely crafted product made by an American small business, much like the Seecamp I own.

Question: What makes this knife worth spending that much for it? I understand quality is not usually associated with low price, but what makes this knife better than something like a $100 Benchmade or Spyderco? To illustrate my point, I can easily explain to someone the difference between a Glock and a Sig and explain the price difference. I don't mind spending more if the value is really there, but I don't know the knife world like I do firearms. I want a carry knife that I can use, not something to put in a drawer and look at occasionally. The customization is nice, but outside of our little microcosm here, it won't have any significance, so I see this as a tool, and I want a high quality tool (thus why I was originally hoping for that other model). I guess that was the long way of asking this: What am I gaining by spending more for this knife than another, especially since I plan to use it on a regular basis?

I feel compelled to add my two cents here. Some here may recall from previous discussions on the topic know I'm not particularly a fan of open carry, but for some to suggest that allowing people to do so without a carry permit will end up with people shooting people's poodles and have negligent discharges all over the place is simply absurd. These people likely own firearms anyhow, likely carry them illegally anyhow, and somehow - magically I suppose - these untrained people somehow manage to contain their small dog hatred and novice trigger fingers. If people want to OC, then that's their prerogative, even if I think it's a bad decision for most situations. But I'm a bit shocked at how quickly gun owners will turn to the very same arguments that anti-Second Amendment folks do.

I could live with that.

I'm likely interested, especially if it's a TR4 and the price is good to go. I've been shopping around for a nice EDC and the features of the TR4 are exactly what I'd like in a carry knife (glass breaker, lanyard loop, and partly serrated). I don't really care about the serial number. It will look good at the range with my TGO AR. :-) Thanks for putting this together!

Unfortunately, you are absolutely correct. But it's not because a Libertarian candidate can't win; it's because most voters are sheep that are so brainwashed by the two-party system, they are unable to believe that a Libertarian can win. If every single person would vote their conscience and not for the candidate the pundits or establishment politicians want you to vote for, the Libertarian would win by a landslide.

And let's be clear on this point; this is not something new. The American Revolution was partly won because of control over the media in the colonies. The famous engraving of the Boston Massacre made by Paul Revere was nothing but propaganda and it was circulated by a media that was sympathetic to the cause. Gun owners are buying into the same media hype and are their own worst enemy because of it. As DaveTN correctly pointed out, we have seen more victories for gun rights in the past decade than I ever thought I'd see in my life. Instead, gun owners get all in a frenzy over what some state legislature in a notoriously anti-gun state does, get all belligerent, alienate anyone who doesn't adopt their panicked rhetoric, and live up to the stereotype the anti-gun media presents to moderates who don't know much about the gun rights issue.

I have a reprint of an old wilderness living/woodsman guide from the late 1800s - early 1900s.  In it there is a section about cooking over a fire and it emphasizes that those who depend on a large roaring fire to cook every meal are going to have a tough row to hoe, especially if you are on the move.  The author's point was that it is a waste of time, energy, and resources to build a huge fire for each meal.  Instead, you tailor the fire to the meal.  Many meals only require a small, quick-burning, and hot fire to cook or heat water.  I thought it made a lot of sense.

Well, from these posts, it looks like Obamacare is not a failure after all.