Dear Fellow Patriots–
As this is Memorial Day weekend, I thought I would share my thoughts on PATRIOTISM as it relates to my US Congressional representative, Congressman Ted Poe (R-TX District 2) and his voting record. Ted Poe is a member of the US House Judicial Committee.
During the week of May 13, 2011, the US House Judiciary Committee voted on a bill that was proposed by a “Democratic” congressman, Mike Quigley (D-ILL).
This bill was pretty simple in scope:
PROHIBIT (KNOWN) TERRORISTS FROM BUYING GUNS AT GUN SHOWS.
Now, for those of you who don’t know how many people this encompasses, there are about 280 of these named individuals.
Some of you may also know that if you buy guns at a gun show, you DO NOT undergo any checks of any kind….not even a background check.
Seems simple and quite logical to put a “common sense” law like this into effect, don’t you think?
(I approve of such a measure, and YES, I am a multiple gun owner).
Well, here’s what happened……
It was a straight party line vote.
ALL REPUBLICANS, INCLUDING MY OWN CONGRESSMAN, VOTED AGAINST THE BILL.
ALL DEMOCRATS VOTED FOR THE BILL.
Congressman Louie Gohmert (R-TX District 1), who famously had a nervous breakdown twice on CNN’s Anderson Cooper show while ranting on about anchor babies from Mexico being trained to be future terrorists, was quoted (see the below referenced web link) as saying that the bill would be a second amendment violation of those who were wrongly placed on the FBI’s no fly list. Really? And where is Mr. Goehmert’s data to back up his assertion? Answer– he has none. As far as I am concerned, go ahead and violate their 2nd. If your name is close enough of a match to get you flagged by the FBI for suspected terrorism activities, you do not deserve constitutional protections to buy guns.
Why does this matter?
That very same week, a man in the northwestern part of the US was arrested by the FBI. He was an Al-Qaeda sympathizer with a website. On his website he called for the followers of Al-Qaeda to go to gun shows and buy guns to use in killing Americans. Two other men, in New York, were arrested for the very same actions.
As I stood in line to vote in our Texas primary election this week, a woman standing behind me was confused about the ballots (Democratic and Republican–you can vote for one or the other, but not for both parties). I showed her which was which, and then said to her that she should actually be paying attention to is what her US Congressional representative has done over his 4 term tenure. She looked at me quizzically, and I then told her about Ted Poe’s vote allowing Terrorists to buy guns at gun shows. Both she and her husband shook their heads in disbelief, but I was factual in my statement about Ted Poe. I also stated they could research it online via the Congressional voting records if they like.
What she said next DID NOT SURPRISE ME, as I live in a very conservative district of Texas.
“Well, I am not voting ‘Democrat'”.
Friends, if you are so stupid as to vote for ANYONE who allows for Terrorists to buy guns (anywhere, anytime)….. you need to have your brain removed and sent in for a rebuild.
Time and time again, Republicans/Conservatives vote for candidates who do not serve their interests.
The fight against Terrorism has been a leading talking point for the right wing crazies during/since Bush W, costing our country over $2 Trillion in borrowed monies (borrowed from the Chinese), the deaths and maiming of thousands of our young men in arms, and deaths of hundreds of thousands of people in countries most of us will never see.
And all the Righties can say is balance the budget, pay off the debt, fund the military industrial complex with anything they want (and anything they don’t want), overturn Roe V Wade, and end Social Security/Medicare/Medicaid. All the while, they are ranting on about border security (yes, one of my congressman’s pet projects) and anchor babies and terrorism, and…. well, you get the idea.
YET THEY (Republicans) CAN’T EVEN PASS A BILL THAT WOULD PREVENT TERRORISTS FROM BUYING GUNS TO KILL AMERICANS.
In my opinion, my congressman, Ted Poe, is NO patriot……. What about your congressional representative? Is your congressman one of the 21 that voted to allow Terrorists to buy guns? Is this not the true face of treason against our country?
During this holiday, I hope everyone will take the time to really get to know who they are voting for, and actually understand what the consequences of their vote is.
We have right wing crazies running our government–well….. at the very least trying to tear it apart, and one half of the American public is asleep at the wheel by allowing these traitors to be in office.
Do the right thing. Do the right thing for your country. Be a patriot. Don’t allow these traitors to let Terrorists run rampant within our country without any regard for our safety. Vote them out of office at the earliest opportunity you have. Make sure that the person you vote for, understands the gravity of the above referenced vote on your safety.
Your life may depend on your vote some day.
Have a safe and happy holiday, and honor those who have given their all for you to enjoy the freedoms that we cherish.
Regards—
Russell James
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