PennyDean.org

Image by coolgates via Flickr

This may seem a little off-topic, but bear with me.

Most of you have probably noticed the sluggish behavior of sites this weekend such as Google, Facebook, Twitter, and others. This is due to a "cyber attack" (as the media calls it) that is taking place with remnants of the former Soviet Union. It has to do with someone who is not happy with the way the government is doing something, and the government is attempting to silence him by crashing the web sites that let him post his opinions.

Before you think this is about free speech, and our beloved First Amendment, let me tell you why it is on a Second Amendment web page here.

I am waiting to hear our President tell us that this cyber attack is being done by computers of which 90% were bought in the United States. "These criminals are going to a computer show in the USA and buying computers without a background check or any form of ID and taking them back to Russia where they are used in gang violence and by corrupt government officials." (I made up that quote, but hopefully you can see how ridiculous it is)

I suppose we could fix their problem by rationing how many computers you can buy in the US, maybe one per month, and also demanding that you show ID before you buy a computer. We need to close that computer show loophole!!!

Now let's use a little "common sense" as the President uses the term.

• The U.S. Constitution nowhere gives the U.S. Government the power to "fix their problem." In other words, if another sovereign nation has a problem with people misusing computers, use of US taxpayer funds is not authorized. Period.
• Computers are not the problem, "corrupt government officials" are the problem. And that includes officials on both sides of the border. Google can confirm that for you, as soon as it is back up and running.
• Some people would agree with point #2 above, but say that we have less corrupt government officials than other countries do. I would tend to agree.

And that leads us to the answer of this post, and what it has to do with the Second Amendment. Russia doesn't have a second amendment. Their government officials tell the people that they don't need guns, because the "government will protect you."