ammon.azza.org

The biggest advancement in civil rights of my lifetime:



Thursday, June 26, was a normal day for me. I got up, and went to work, came home and did all normal things. But it was a great day for freedom, and all freedom loving people.

For the first time in American history, the Supreme Court of the United States said what every honest American is thinking: The Second Amendment to the constitution applies to individuals. For those of you not familiar with it's wording, here it is:

"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

It is quite obvious that this is an individual right, but some liberals are adamant that it is the right of the state to have a National Guard. I believe this is because they are liars. It makes no sense for this to be the intent of the amendment. Just read the rest of the Bill of Rights. Every single one is a personal right. Why would only the 2nd be a communal right held by states. Also, in the constitution itself the wording is very specific regarding states. It always refers to the states as "States", never "People". Makes sense.

Also, if you read the words of the founders (you know, the people that wrote the document) you will see the true intent of the Second Amendment. It was not meant as a protection of sportsmen. It wasn't even for self and home defense. It was because they knew that governments are always power hungry, and eventually this government might become oppressive. The PEOPLE needed recourse in this case.

Went to the doctor today. They took new X rays, but no CT scan. The doc says the damage is minimal and in a place where they can't do anything to help but it will heal on it's own. I should be back up 6-8 weeks from the time of the incident.

It was around 10:20 AM on June 7th 2008 I came to that great awakening. The sun was shining on the sheer rock faces above the Colorado River. The sky was blue with only a few clouds, circled by hawks. It was a beautiful day to break your back. 55 minutes earlier I had fallen off the rock I had so foolishly decided to climb atop, fracturing three of my thoracic vertebra. As I drove down highway 128, winding along the Colorado, passing campers and motorcycles, my back was killing me. I feared the worst, though I was still able to walk and, obviously, push in the clutch. How could I have been so foolish? This wasn't like me to jump head first into a dangerous situation without first analyzing it.

Anger crept in, subtly at first so that I didn't notice. "If only there hadn't been that crazy wind! I would be up in the La Sals right now, probably at 12,000 feet doing something I truly love instead of in pain from doing something any fool can do!"

I made rationalizations:

"If only I had decided to go up the La Sals anyway! Then I wouldn't have fallen!"
"If I hadn't thought of this stupid trip, I wouldn't have fallen!"

Then it happened. Enlightenment.

I Stopped myself immediately. No more of the deflection would be tolerated. Take some responsibility.

"You did not fall off that rock because you weren't in the La Sals. You did not fall off the rock because you aren't at home in bed. You fell off that rock because you climbed on top of it. Don't blame any decision you made an hour before, or 3 days before, where you couldn't possibly have seen the outcome of the action taken. That dissolves you of any responsibility. And you alone are responsible. Instead, blame the decision moments before the incident. Blame the action directly responsible for the outcome. That is the only way you will learn."

Down low, the holds were solid, up the main shaft of the pinnacle. It was easy climbing, low 5th class, maybe even 4th class. Gaining the top of the pinnacle required going over a small overhang, and smearing my body on the sandstone mushroom top. The move was awkward at best. Overall the climb to the top of the 15 foot high pinnacle was rather easy, and took all of 30 seconds. As I stood there, my legs started to shake a bit. The fear and doubt, the good sense that I neglected to feel a minute before, was flooding in to me. Getting down would not be so easy.