Dreams of My Father

My dad recently retired from his career as a pressman. I worked with dad at the same company from 2000 until 2003, when economics caused me to have to seek employment elsewhere.

In the three years that I worked with dad, I saw him put a lot of ink to paper, leaving words for the world to read for posterity.

Unfortunately, none of those words were his own.

Since his retirement, Dad has been spending more time on the computer. He writes emails (now) that are more than just a line item reminder to meet him somewhere or send a check, etc. Dad's emails are becoming letters, and I'm glad.

When I got the writing bug, I often wondered who I took after, as I didn't ever remember my mother or father ever sitting down and writing simply for the pleasure of it. In my dad's letters, I now see that Dad, (the reserved, laid back guy I love and respect like no other) gave me a lot more than just his name, and I am profoundly grateful for that (among other things).

Dad sent this to me yesterday...it's worth the read:

Since before the election, gun sales across the nation have gone up. People are afraid of Obama's gun control measures, I guess its "buy them and hide them". The November issue of American Rifleman [NRA] outlines Obamas views on gun control and ownership. If you are a hunter, sportsman, target shooter, etc., you better keep a close eye on new gun control laws that will probably emerge shortly.

Automatic and semi-auto weapons will probably be outlawed. Ammunition could be taxed out of reach [up to 500%]. If you enjoy this sport, you had better do t soon, for in the future you may be banned from doing so.

The old adage ["guns don't kill people, people kill people"] does not seem to apply any more. I live in Philadelphia, where two police officers were shot and killed this year, but not by law abiding citizens who obey the law, register their guns, get legal permits, have a high standard of ethics, and otherwise conform to what is expected of them. They were shot by ex-convicts who were released early by our "parole board". What are they looking at?

So the bottom line, the government will make us criminals, hiding or not registering guns and weapons. I recently read an article about England, most guns are banned, so now the police are stopping and searching young people for knives, [even though there has been no increase in crimes committed with knives]. What is next? baseball bats and hockey sticks?.....Think about this carefully, what do you want to allow to happen? I want to be able [allowed?] to hunt for a few more years, until I can't walk the fields and woods anymore, to maybe hunt with my grandsons and/or granddaughters, to do what I didn't have too much of a chance to do with my own father.

My final and sincere advice, JOIN THE NRA.

BILL

Thanks, Dad...well said!