First Amendment

There has been an uprising here in the United States. One student of religion threatens to kill a Taxi driver in New York because the Sikh wore a turban. Outrage has been heard the world over because a Mosque is being planned in the shadow of the Twin Towers. A Pastor in Florida is planning on holding a Koran burning on September 11th, only two days from now.


I've never been a fan of organized religion. I find churches of all denominations to be full of hypocrites. This Florida pastor only seems to reinforce that idea in my mind.

However - this nation was founded on the idea of "Freedom of Religion" and is listed as the first amendment right in the United States constitution. So while I may not agree with organized religions, what they stand for or who is the leader of each group, I will defend to the DEATH anyone else's right to practice their own religion and family backgrounds until my last breath.

"In the summer of 1787, fifty-five delegates gathered in Philadelphia to draft the original Constitution of the United States. The original Constitution itself has only one provision that addresses religion and that is a provision that draws a sharp boundary ...In the summer of 1787, fifty-five delegates gathered in Philadelphia to draft the original Constitution of the United States. The original Constitution itself has only one provision that addresses religion and that is a provision that draws a sharp boundary between church and state,"


NOT Church and Church, not religion and religion, not Book of Mormon and the Koran, not ground zero and Muslim faith - but CHURCH AND STATE. What our forefathers meant by this was just this:

"In Article VI, Clause 3, the Founders prohibited all religious tests for public office. (“no religious test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public trust"...) and didn't even involve our schools, as we have been forced to do so in the past decade.

When we begin to loose the ideals and beliefs that this country was founded on, what more could be left of us to destroy? Have we lost our roots? Have the bricks to our foundation crumbled away into non-existence? Have our hearts burst into flames? Were our spirits crushed under the Twin Towers of New York City?


The great nation of these United States was founded by people who openly, and at great cost to themselves and their families, rejected the divine right of a King to rule them in favor of a Republic, free of any particular spiritual expression.

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. "


Do we forget that, in the first amendment within the Constitution that this nation was founded on, the freedom of religion was mentioned first? This is hardly an afterthought when displayed so prominently.

President Obama is quoted as having said just recently when asked about the Florida Pastor that "part of this country's history is people doing destructive or offensive or harmful things. And yet, we still have to make sure that we're following the laws.” (Mark my words, this will likely be the only thing I will ever quote from this man.) He's right.

When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor that marked our entry in World War II, we went over and bombed Hell out of Japan. They're still reeling from the effects some 70 years later. During our seasons of war, though - we placed the Japanese Americans in our own concentration camps hidden all over, right here in the grand old United States. A dear friend of mine was born in one located in Colorado.

When the Germans decided Jewish people were bad, well, we all know what happened to them. It was a massive genocide, killing more than 6 million people based on their religion.

The Mormon's have been chased from Nation to Nation and State to State before they finally found their home in Utah. Religious persecution even here in the United States of America AFTER the constitution was written and the amendments on religion were added forced them to move again and again, never wanted, never needed, always searching for a home. When finally they settled in Salt Lake City, it wasn't their first choice. It was more like their 500th choice, and they chose it mainly because it was empty - nobody was around to chase them away.

There are so many examples of what Religious persecution in other parts of the world has done, like the many African nations where people are killed daily because they won't conform to the new leaders religion. Like Israel and Palestine. Like the Crusades that lasted 200 years.

We should be PROUD of where we come from and what our nation was founded on. We weren't always the closed minded shallow hate filled fanatics we seem to be now. While I agree that we should protect our people and our nation, I strongly disagree in the action some have taken against others Nation wide based on their skin color, religions or clothing preference.

We come from a proud breed of people, all of us. No matter what our background is, no matter where our ancestors are, each nation out there has a proud and strong people. We have much to be proud of and much to be thankful for. We shouldn't hate others because we fear them, or because they're different (though in too many cases we hate them because we fear them), but embrace the differences, learn from others, and hold fast to our own rich heritage.

THIS is where I come from. THIS is my heritage. THIS is my background. What about yours? Do you know where you stand? Do you know where you come from? Take a stand, be proud, show your true colors. DARE to do what's right.

They did.

" We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union,
establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence,
promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves
and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this
Constitution for the United States of America."

God Bless our Free Nation.

Gas Station Attack

Some people would openly argue that the Second Amendment to the Constitution (the right to keep and bare arms) is a throwback to the Revolutionary War days and no longer applies in modern day society. Many people, especially those in the Security field, would adamantly argue otherwise. Last night something happened to one of my people that not only alarmed us as a team and a family, but opened my eyes to the ever pressing need for alertness and personal protection.

Brian left work at about Midnight when his girlfriend came to pick him up at the end of his shift. He had no gas in his truck, so they swung by a gas station in Lomita in order to fill up. As Brian stood there holding the pump and filling the tank, a large, black SUV came flying into the station, bouncing off the curb and catching a little air with the front tires. It skidded to a halt after about 4 feet and a man in his late 30's jumped out screaming.

"You a cop, Homie? You a cop?" He screamed at Brian.

Normal practice is to cover the uniform or to remove it completely and change out before leaving the post at the end of the night. Brian learned last night why that is one of the rules put in place for Officer safety. The guy came charging at Brian, still screaming. He appeared to not be completely lucid, and Brian suspected him of being on some sort of drug like methamphetamine from his actions and jerky movements. Since Brian had been a Torrance Police Department Explorer before coming to my Security team, he had training in how to handle this sort of a situation.

When the guy lunged at Brian, he grabbed the guys wrist and snapped it down. Then he used his foot on the guys stomach to shove him away. His girlfriend was frightened and jumped back into the truck when Brian urged her to. As the guy was faltering backwards, Brian opened up the drivers side back door of his truck and reached for a small handgun he had taken to the range just the day before. The clip, as according to Law, had been removed, but he reached for that at the same time. He shoved the clip into place, racked a round in the chamber, pulled back the hammer and screamed back at the guy. His first and only thought was to protect his girlfriend.

"Get on the ground" he screamed at the assailant. "Get on the ground, I'm not f*@#ing with you, get on the ground! Face down!"

The guy complied, and Brian placed his knees in the guys back. He held one arm behind the mans back as he holstered his weapon. Then he took his handcuffs out of his back pocket and attached it to the mans wrists. He patted him down for weapons, then his girlfriend, who had called 911, handed him the phone as he approached his vehicle. His girlfriend had already given the license plate and vehicle description to the Police. They said they were on the way. Brian told them that he would remain in place for a moment, but would get back into his vehicle and move to a safe distance as soon as he heard the sirens.

It wasn't another 30 seconds before he heard the wail of the sirens in the distance. He pulled the clip from the handgun, ejected the round from the chamber and stored all the pieces of the gun back the way the Law states they should be transported in a vehicle. Then he got into the truck and drove down the block.

As soon as the police had the assailant in the back of their car, Brian went back to the scene and explained what happened.

"I held him at gun point," Brian stated openly. "He was attacking me because he thought I was a cop. I just wanted to make sure my girlfriend was safe."

"You did the right thing," the Lomita Sheriff's Officer said, "but we may need to take your gun."

"Why?" he asked. "It's my Second Amendment right to have a gun as long as it's not concealed. I only used it in self defense."

Admitting that he was correct, the Officers only asked to see the weapon. They asked why he had it with him in the first place and he pulled out the business card of the gun range he had been to the previous day. He explained that he had been an avid target shooter since childhood and had several awards for marksmanship from his time in the Explorers program.

"So," the Officers said, "Do you want to be a Cop?"

"Yes, I always have wanted to."

"Good."

So the fact that Brian had a gun with him may or may not have saved his life. Maybe he could have taken down this guy twice his size with nothing but sheer strength. Maybe it would have worked just fine. Or, maybe the guy would have overpowered him and raped his girlfriend right there in the gas station parking lot. We've had a Serial Rapist on the loose in the area lately - who knows if this was the guy. The fact remains, Brian acted fast and never had to fire a round. His having a weapon of self defense saved a few broken bones and blood stains on his uniform, be the blood from him or the assailant. It skipped right through the long battle that surely would have ensued had he not acted fast and pulled it out, ready to go.

I don't tell people if I do or do not have a gun. As far as I see it, it's none of their business. When people find out I'm in Security, often I get asked (mainly because I'm a thin and attractive female) where I carry my gun. I never tell them if I do or do not carry one, simply that I carry mine where I'm supposed to.

Brian is a 19 year old kid. Last night he may have possibly saved the lives of his 18 year old girlfriend, himself and the gas station attendant.

I'm very proud of my Officer for thinking fast in the situation he was forced to face head on. He never thought even for a second that "it's not fair" or "why me" or "this doesn't happen". Instead he jumped into action and proved himself, even at such a young age, to be a man worthy of note.

I want him by my side when the Zombie's attack. =o)


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