My thoughts on Pike’s recently passed referendum….

 

A great victory for the People of Pike and the People of Illinois as they take a poke in the eye of the thieves of Liberty.

Over the last several years verbally and in writing I have said repeatedly that in my opinion we have the fundamental God given right to carry an arm in defense of ourselves, family, friends and property. This right was not granted by the Constitution but rather preceded this document which secures the right. I have since had some confidence restored in the system by the recent Heller case and McDonald case and some others. With a complete ban on the public carry of an arm and the further requirement to ask permission via the FOID card application to exercise a fundamental right, Illinois has become excessive and overbearing in its theft of the People’s Liberty.

Now with the passage of the Pike County Constitutional Carry of Arms a blessing has been created. We now know with hard copy vote that the People of Pike County, and likely Illinois in general, at least outside Chicago, agree that the State is usurping a fundamental right. Now that we have a county referendum which acknowledges the right on our own books, how are we going to resolve the conflict now created between a county referendum reflecting the will of the People, and Illinois State law, which in my opinion is unconstitutional? The critical issue is how do we resolve this without some well meaning non-criminal People being charged with a crime?

My opinion remains that we have the fundamental right to keep and bear an arm before this referendum; however, I would say the State legal process, which makes our country different from many others around the world, needs a little more time to work. There are some cases already in the pipeline that have the potential to resolve the conflicts with regard to Illinois’ present draconian laws. Therefore I would recommend that the People bear with the State a little longer and avoid carrying unless they feel like their life is in danger; at that point you have to weigh the legal risks for yourself. If my life or that of my family is in imminent danger, I would rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6. Till then we will have to continue to catch the ear of the Chicago Machine.

Many will recall that during hurricane Katrina the People of the various communities banded together to protect their lives and properties from armed thugs, including police officers who were stealing and vandalizing properties of people who evacuated. In Illinois, if the New Madrid earthquake
would strike, or some other major catastrophe would occur, anybody who banded together on the public way, off their own private property, is subject to felony conviction. Keep that in mind as you go to the poles this fall.

I would further like to add that the way current Illinois law is written is not the fault of any local politicians currently serving in our County.  It is, however, time to take an ACTIVE role in the screening process of the candidates who will be running for offices in this county and in the state. That includes those running for the board. If you don’t show up and ask the hard questions, then you are part of the problem and I don’t want to hear any whining about how deprived we are in Illinois. I am not saying be rowdy or disrespectful. I am saying ask nice easy questions, such as, where do you stand with regard to preserving fundamental rights as secured by the constitution over and above clearly unconstitutional law. 

One other tool that needs to be addressed is learning the rights of jurors to decide both the law and the facts of a case. Just because someone is charged with breaking an unconstitutional law doesn’t mean that you have to convict if you are on the jury. (See www.fija.org) That is a subject for another day.

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Benevolence or Malevolence

Dan A. Mefford, D.C.

As I write this piece I know not the outcome of the election or whether the People of Pike have decided in favor of including a small part of the Bill of Rights in our County legal code. It is my firm prayer the People decided in favor of individual Liberty, Freedom, and Self-reliance as opposed to dependency on government. It is also my sincere prayer that those in authority will recognize, regardless of passage of Constitutional Carry at the local level, that the Right exists, not because we passed it or didn’t pass it, but because we are endowed by our Creator at birth with certain unalienable rights, and among these is the right to keep and bear arms, no matter what the Chicago Machine and their henchmen say.

We need to teach our children the true number one function of government, which is, “to secure these rights.”-- the rights to Life, Liberty, and Property among so many others. It is so easy for a well meaning government to get into the “necessity” of protecting us from every supposed “evil” or “danger” that comes along that it loses track of its true function, which is, to secure our rights. That includes the right to make wrong choices - choices of eating the Politically Incorrect foods, using too much salt, gambling, ingesting politically incorrect things after achieving adulthood.

Choices are, in my opinion, the very essence of Liberty. How many choices did the Massa give a slave? The very essence of slavery is the requirement to ask permission in the exercise of any fundamental right. Did any slave you ever heard of have a right, at least according the Massa, to travel, to speak, to READ, to publish, petition for redress of grievances, to free assembly, to keep and bear armament in defense of himself or his family?

I may get some of my fellow Christians mad at me, but the truth is that our Lord and Savior allows his children to make wrong choices. He also allows the consequences of those choices to be visited on the ones who made the wrong choices at times. Unfortunately, their families and friends may suffer along with them as well. There is no way that government can make all things equal! Life just ‘ain’t’ fair that way. If you pass so many rules to try to even it all out then you are back to a tyrannical government and that just ‘ain’t’ fair either. Remember, it is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.

Dear Government, I thank you for thinking of my safety etc. but for now, treat me with benign neglect. I promise not to intentionally harm my neighbor; in fact I might even try to do something good for him once in a while, if he doesn’t mind. Regards, Dan A. Mefford, D.C.

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People Ask, “Why Would You Carry a Gun?”

 

Dan A. Mefford, D.C.

I recently had very relevant concern expressed by someone who I think is a very responsible thinker. He was concerned about the Constitutional Carry of Arms ordinance referendum.  Here is what he expressed, “Do we really need people packing heat to restaurants, bars, basketball games, Church, and everywhere else? This seems completely unnecessary.”

I like to say that it is a little like carrying insurance. We “carry” insurance around the clock because we just never know. Occasionally people will be concerned because they wonder if we could have “wild west” incidents occurring. However 49 states have found that it just doesn’t happen. Now they have substantially decreased crime, simply because the “bad guys” are not sure who might be carrying “insurance.”

I ran across this little tidbit below by an unknown author, which I think explains the thought process of most People who carry.

“My old grandpa said to me, "Son, there comes a time in every man's life when he stops bustin' knuckles and starts bustin' caps, and usually it's when he becomes too old to take an old fashioned whoopin'."

He went on to state, “I don't carry a gun to kill people. I carry a gun to keep from being killed.”

“I don't carry a gun to scare people. I carry a gun because sometimes this world can be a scary place.”

“I don't carry a gun because I'm paranoid. I carry a gun because there are real threats in the world.”

“I don't carry a gun because I'm evil. I carry a gun because I have lived long enough to see the evil in the world.”

“I don't carry a gun because I hate the government. I carry a gun because I understand the limitations of government.”

“I don't carry a gun because I'm angry. I carry a gun so that I don't have to spend the rest of my life hating myself for failing to be prepared.”

“I don't carry a gun because I want to shoot someone. I carry a gun because I want to die at a ripe old age in my bed, and not on a sidewalk somewhere tomorrow afternoon.”

“I don't carry a gun because I am a cowboy. I carry a gun because, when I die and go to heaven, I want to be a cowboy.”

“I don't carry a gun to make me feel like a man. I carry a gun because men know how to take care of themselves and the ones they love.”

“I don't carry a gun because I feel inadequate. I carry a gun because unarmed and facing three armed thugs, I am inadequate.”

“I don't carry a gun because I love it. I carry a gun because I love life and the people who make it meaningful to me.”

“Police are not always able to protect you from crime. Sometimes you just have take care of it yourself.”

“Personally, I carry a gun because I'm too young to die and too old to take a whoopin.'”

And I would like to ad, women carry because this little tool of self defense makes them equal.

Contact me to comment at: dan@pike912.com pike912.blogspot.com.

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Pike County, Illinois residents up in arms over concealed carry

Pike County, Illinois residents up in arms over concealed carry: Pike County, Illinois residents will vote on a concealed carry issue on March 20. The issue includes an ordinance to the Constitution Carry of Arms, which references guns and other weapons. Meanwhile, lawmakers in Springfield, Illinois are looking to pass similar gun legislation.  Click more for the rest of the article: MORE

MY NOTE:  The above title should read "Constitutional Carry," but it is still a good article and the little gal who wrote it, Brook Hasch did a great job overall of getting things straight.  I think she has a great future in the industry.

The Milgram Experiment

     A series of psychology experiments were performed by Stanley Milgram.  The goal of the study is to measure the willingness of the participants to obey an authority figure who instructed them to perform acts that conflicted with their personal conscience. 
     The study has three key participants.    A scientist/”authority,” a “coach,” and a “learner”/student.  Unbeknownst to the “coach” he is actually the one being studied.  However the “coach” is told that the test is about observing the coach training the learner who is supposed to remember a group of facts.  The scientist authority figure is to “observe” the technique and keep the study on track. 
     The real kicker comes when the “coach” is asked to deliver a shock to the the “learner.”  There is a bank of switches which deliver a shock to the “learner” if he gets a wrong answer.  With each wrong answer the “coach” delivers a shock to the “learner.”  The switch bank increments from 45 volts up to 450 volts.  With each missed question the next higher level of pain is induced.  The switches are marked low danger, medium danger, high danger, life threatening, death. 
     The “coach” continues to ratchet up to the next level at the direction of the scientist/authority figure.  Of course the study is rigged so that the coach continues to deliver ever increasing shocks no matter how much pain is caused.  Eventually the “learner”/actor cries out in pain and then eventually is non-responsive.  However the scientist/authority figure continues direct the “coach” to increase the intensity level of the jolts to the maximum 450 volts. 
     “Coaches” from all walks of life were tested, 65% went all the way to 450 volts even though their conscience was bothering them.  These were just “nice” obedient run of the mill folks. 
I would encourage everyone to view the youtube.com videos here below.  There are two studies on video the original Milgram study and another one below in three parts.

Original film from Milgram  (http://tinyurl.com/original-milgram)

“Many people not knowing that much about the experiment claim that people who go to the end of the board are sadistic.  Nothing could be more foolish as an overall characterization of these persons.  The context of their actions must always be considered.  The individual upon entering the laboratory must be integrated into a situation that carries its own momentum.  The results, as I observed them in the laboratory, are disturbing.  They raise the possibility that human nature cannot be counted on to insulate men from brutality and inhumane treatment at the direction of malevolent authority.  A substantial proportion of people do what they are told to do irrespective of the content of the act without limitations of conscience so long as they perceive that the command comes from a legitimate authority.  If in this study an anonymous experimenter could successfully command adult to subdue a 50 year old man and force on him painful electric shocks against his protests, one can only wonder what government with its vastly greater authority and prestige can command of its subjects.” Stanley Milgram comments.

A newer version is available here in 3 parts:
Part 1 of 3  
Part 2 of 3 
Part 3 of 3 
     The conclusion is clear that the “average” person will continue to follow the direction of who, or what they perceive to be an authority figure, even if in their own mind it might or could be causing serious injury or even death.  We in America have been trained from the time we are very small to OBEY authority figures at home and all through school.  We have, to the tune of 65%, become obedient slaves.  Even escaped slaves from the Old South felt guilty for having “stolen” themselves from their masters. 
At what point will you consider resisting or defying authority when you perceive the authority is wrong.  Remember, “it is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong (Voltaire).”
     Feel free to leave comments.

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Herd Mentality

Dan A. Mefford, D.C.

We have all read about the classic “herd mentality” exhibited by the buffalo on the plains. The Indians would surround the herd and stampede them over a cliff. Raising sheep and hogs I have observed the same phenomenon.

It is also a well documented response in people. There is just something way down deep in our souls that just has a hard time breaking loose from the herd and going our own independent way. When the herd begins to move, there is that tendency to ‘assume’ that someone up ahead must know “the way” that we need to go, after all, everyone is going “that way.”

Thinking, speaking, and acting on your own against the herd is hard, like swimming upstream. It leads to criticism, from friends and family however finally when major needed improvements come about the herd gradually starts turning ‘that way” but, not until some independent thinker begins to turn first.

My question, how long will it take officials to see that their loyalty cannot be to “the law” but to a Constitution which they are sworn to uphold against all  enemies foreign and domestic. The laws frequently are without constitutional merit. They are overturned all the time.

Many candidates have stated they will swear an oath to uphold the “laws” of the state of Illinois and to the constitution. I would recommend that the candidates review the oath and think about this.

Article 13, Section 3. “I do solemnly swear (affirm) that I will support the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of the State of Illinois, and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of . . . to the best of my ability.”

Years ago it was not uncommon in some states to have blacks sit at the back of the bus, drink from their own fountain, use their own restroom. Those were laws. They were laws that caused pain for many years against people who could not afford fancy pants lawyers.

Will our newest crop of candidates for important legal positions in Illinois uphold and prosecute a law like that until the Supreme Court says “that is unconstitutional?” Or, will they have the courage to break from the herd and say for instance, “The right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed” on my watch!

Contact me: pike912.blogspot.com.

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Ted Nugent on the Illinois FOID Card

Ted Nugent

Ted Nugent was the key note speaker at the recent, Feb. 10, 2012, Republican dinner at the Springfield Prairie Capitol Convention Center.  He had some "interesting" remarks on the FOID card (Firearm Owners ID).  Needless to say they weren't too flattering.  WMAY 970AM talk radio did the video recording.

Here is the short version edited by me. You gotta listen to this one at least referencing the FOID Card.... about 5 minutes…

http://youtu.be/hQOdarm_g7c

Here is the full length speech if you have time... about 40 minutes…

http://youtu.be/wUwtpOhBRAk


Enjoy!

Illiniois State Police Self Defense Recommendations to Women

 Dan A. Mefford, D.C.

NOTE:  The ISP pages referenced below have been deactivated since this post was made... 2012-03-12

I was really interested in what the Illinois State Police (ISP) recommends to women in the process of being assaulted.  Now before I go too far, I did a little unofficial research, with some of my friends who are state police actually “on the road” so to speak.  What I discovered from the cop in the trench and from the Official ISP website were not the same opinions.  But I have to go with the “Official” version for this article.

A little research at http://tinyurl.com/ispwomen reveals the head of the ISP, Hiram Grau and Gov. Quinn recommend that a lady under assault (My comments are in parentheses):

• Reason with their attacker (really?)
• Tell attacker that you have AIDS or VD
• Make yourself throw up (I am serious!)
• Use your imagination
  (I am NOT making this up, please verify)

If you must fight they say:

• Guns stolen from residences is a primary way criminals get weapons
  (I am not sure what this statement has to do with anything)

•  Beware of times and places where attacks are most likely to occur

-Parking lots

-Walking at night

-Waiting for a bus

 -Elevators

            -Others you will learn to recognize (After a few assaults, I suppose.  Honest women should not go to parking lots, for night walks, etc. they are “asking for it.”  Just criminals are allowed in these areas.)

Useful defense weapons are:

• nail file
• rat tail comb
• teasing brush
• pens and pencils
• keys
• anything rigid

[When fighting] Concentrate on these areas only when combating an assailant:

• groin
• eyes
• ears
• nose 
• throat

Do Director Grau and Gov Quinn actually tell their wives and daughters this stuff? 

In forty nine other states essentially you are able to respond with, bang, bang, bang, bang, and bang.

I recommend women by the carload go to Illinois Gun Owners Lobby Day in Springfield at the Prairie Capitol Convention Center by noon on March 7 to express their outrage to the Chicago Machine legislators about this travesty.

If you would like to correspond with me on this contact me at: editorial@pike912.org or leave a message at 217-285-2134, or follow my blog at: pike912.blogspot.com.

The Government Hogs are Rooting at the Fence

Dan A. Mefford, D.C.

When I was on the farm we had quite a few hogs.  We found that a substantial amount of time had to be spent fixin' the fence to keep the hogs in.  If an ole sow rooted too much in one area we usually wired a hedge post in that spot so that she could not effectively work on the fence itself.  ‘Cuz’ once she got her nose under she would work and root and dig and stretch until she could get out.

Now government has a lot of parallels to the hogs.  Our Founders made it clear that the government was a lot like those hogs.  It would advance and root and dig and stretch until it ruled every facet of our lives.  The founders made it clear that government needs the “chains” of the Constitution to bind it down to prevent it from becoming tyrannical.  It is the nature of Government that it loves to hog power and hog our Liberty and it does it all under the name of necessity and it is for the “good of the People” or for the “children” or to maintain a “civilized” society or to defend the People against certain enemies, or maintain the public safety or health. 

These are all fine sounding things that have a measure of relevance.  However it does this by exerting control over the daily aspects of our lives.  It does this by removing choice and by making our decisions for us.  Such as whether we can consume certain things that it deems aren’t good for the People.  Or that the People and private business must use a safety harness (OSHA) for certain tasks, however government entities are exempt.  At what point does rooting and hogging of power need to stop and the number one function of government, the preservation of fundamental rights to, Life, Liberty and Property, need to be enforced? 

It is not up to the Government to fix the fence.  Remember the ole sow she isn’t interested in a good fence she is interested only in what she wants.  Government will NEVER restrain itself.  It is up to the People to restrain government by fixing the fence and reminding it that its number one responsibility is to preserve fundamental liberties and rights.  Government has no interest in preserving fundamental rights because that restrains its power.  It is not about to fence itself in!

I believe one of the Founders stated that the price of Liberty is eternal vigilance.  The vigilance must be exerted by the People to contain and restrain government.

If you would like to correspond with me on this contact me at:  editorial@pike912.org or leave a message at 217-285-2134, or follow my blog at: pike912.blogspot.com.

The Federal Government could use a few lessons from the Chicago Machine….

The federal government needs to take a seminar from the Chicago Machine.  They are after all, the ones who designed, authored, and conceived of the diabolical Article 1, Section 22, of the Illinois Constitution which states, “Subject only to the police power the right of the individual citizen to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” 

A classic attorney trick in the court room is to ask a series of several questions that are obviously answered with “yes” then throw in a question that requires a “no.”  The witness then is droning along answering yes, yes, yes and is then tricked into answering yes to a no question.  Then the attorney will pounce on the witness’ mistake and try to impugn his character, or memory, or to cast doubt on his credibility and integrity.

In Illinois the authors of the state Constitution placed the RKBA section at number 22 unlike the founders who placed it 2^nd.  At that point the general public got sucker punched ‘cuz’ they just didn’t read it that far.  If they did, by then they were just hurrying through like the guy sitting on the witness stand answering yes, yes, yes.  I mean this is the Bill of Rights, not even the Chicago Machine would screw with that, would they?  

At this point the Obamunists are determined that any church organizations such as hospitals and colleges and schools will have to include abortifacients (life terminating drugs), contraceptives, sterilization services, among other things that directly oppose the moral and religious convictions of many Catholics and protestants.  If the Obamunists would get together with the Chicago Machine they surely could have got this through in a lot more subtle manner.  After all, as far as I know, until I started fussing about the term “Subject only to the police power” nobody seemed think it was any big deal.   The Feds need to import some of our Chicago Rulers who are artists at sugar coating the poison pills.

Now, it is amazing how the Feds have managed do some pretty good tricks of their own.  I am still trying to figure out what slight of hand the Obamunists are going to use to force the People to buy health insurance.  Can you force the People to sign and enter into a contract?  Any contract signed under duress or threat is null and void on its face.  I forgot the government seems to think it can make its own rules and then change them in the middle of the game. 

I guess one smart thing that the Obamunists did is to give everyone a year to “figure out how to violate our consciences,” said Archbishop Timothy Dolan.  I suppose giving everyone time to contemplate just what the consequences are to violating federal law might encourage one to go along with the program.  Well we will see.  Although the more I think about the eternal consequences to violating God’s law. . . that might outweigh even the Obamunists and their Obamunistic plans. 

I suppose if judges can turn “shall not be infringed” into meaning “shall not be infringed very much,” they could surely turn, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise of thereof” into, “For the most part Congress shall make no law . . .”  Yeah that ought to handle it.  After all, no right is absolute.  What seems to be absolute is that the “compelling interest” of the state shall not be infringed, at all!  Thou shalt not infringe the compelling interest of the state, no matter how many fundamental rights have to be infringed. 

I guess that pretty well takes care of abridging freedom of speech and the press and peaceable assembly and petitioning the government for redress of grievances.  Shoot, while we’re at it we can certainly moderate the other rights as well; I mean after all the whole purpose of government is in the interest of maintaining public safety!  Or, is it?

I think the out-of-date and antiquated document called the Declaration of Independence in part reads this way: “we are endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights among those are the right to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness, and that to secure these rights governments are instituted among men.   Ooops, it looks like the whole reason for government is to secure Rights endowed by our Creator, not for the primary purpose of maintaining public safety.  Don’t worry; the Chicago Machine can teach the Feds how to get around it.  I got faith!

If you would like to correspond with me on this contact me at:  editorial@pike912.org or leave a message at 217-285-2134, or follow my blog at: pike912.blogspot.com.