The FIRST Shotgun Choice Debate Rages On

By David Hogan Moody, Alabama

HR 20 Gauge Single Shot

I got my first shotgun the Christmas of 1968 when I was 8 years old. It was a single shot Harrington Richardson Jr. Model 20 gauge with an improved cylinder choke.

Why did my dad choose this single shot instead of a semi-automatic shotgun, and why not a small caliber rifle?

Things were different back then.

If you had a US Steel Hunting Permit in 1968 you had an enormous amount of land in Alabama to hunt on for starters. Finding this land was not so hard either and many "General Stores" and hardware stores that sold hunting permits also had land maps showing US Steel Land. US Steel continues to have a lot of land in Alabama but they also have a Real Estate Division that has been very active in recent decades past.

I like many, had grandparents in rural areas that had property for farming, and uncles and in laws with adjacent property for their farms as well, and they knew me and as long as I let them know I was hunting and stayed away from the bull and other dangers, didn't shoot towards a structure and the like, I had literally hundreds of acres to hunt on.

It was nothing to be outside in the fall and hear a shotgun in the distance and we didn't give it much thought at all, unless it was too near the house or barn, and then a butt-chewing was guaranteed.

My point is there were not the massive numbers of private hunting clubs there are today and one could hunt in public places without fear of many safety and access issue today. In regard to choosing what type of gun to get your child you also knew they may have an opportunity to not only hunt more often, but even hunt by themselves at younger ages than often allowed now.

The Single Shot Forced Me To Become a Good Shot

This was especially true of bird hunting where unlike ground mammals, grounded birds, or tree sitting squirrels you had to learn to get on site with something up and moving. There was also the impact of making a shot count with target practice because you didn't have three or more shots before you had to reload, and wanted every shell to count.

You could make the argument that a good old .22 rifle would accomplish the same, but I'd argue that for bird hunting weighing a bullet against shots. I do acknowledge the .22 can and does force you to become accurate on a non-moving target such as a squirrel or rabbit and does teach you about when to get off the shot.

When, Where, and What You Are Hunting, with Your Child, Matters.

Are you just going to to go to the range and pull clays? Will you be bird hunting, exclusively. Do you want something your child can do multiple types of hunting with? All of those questions and more matters to the choice of a first gun and it is not always a single shot shotgun.

When I was hunting you shared hunting technical tactics and such with of course other hunters you met and we did not have social media on the internet that allowed us to talk shop while not hunting either. What I offered as to why my dad wanted me to concentrate on a good shot, delivered to a flying target, worked for me.

AF Expert Marksman Ribbon

That training also served me well in basic training in the Air Force as only two airmen in my basic training flight shot at Expert Marksman level and I was one of them along with one other Airman in my flight that shared being born in Alabama with me. The drill sergeant had plenty to say about those of us that came out of Alabama I can't mention in public writing, but he did tip the brim of his scary Smoky Bear hat to our shooting skills from Alabama. Research what you buy your child for their first gun, and do your best to train them well in all aspects of firearms, safety and ethics.

Most of Us Saw His Back BECAUSE of His KINDNESS

By David Hogan

Moody, AL

Following DD to great memories!

Daniel Webb, known affectionally by so many as DD, is moving away from Birmingham due to his railroad career and that's about all I know, other than I will miss him greatly. 

Many of us easily recognize DD from his back, because we've seen him leading group bicycle rides for years.

Why, do I not have details? 

DD behind me with that SMILE!

Because I know this gentle giant and if I called him to do a story he'd try to talk me out of it. He was never looking for the spotlight as he literally led thousands of cyclists on group rides in Birmingham.

DD gave so many cyclist and motorist wonderful memories with his Tuesday Night, Le Tour de Ham rides, along with his Saturday Stroll ride, and helping others as a "corker" with the Thursday Night Non-Profit Redemptive Cycle Trample Ride.

DD far left front, eating with friends
after a group ride.  His wife Betsy is across
from him.

DD is literally a "Legend in His Own Time".  Most anyone that cycles in Birmingham, AL from the pro riders to those of us just trying to have the childhood joy of a good old bike ride again as an adult, know the contagious smile of DD, Daniel Webb.

DD, center with friends Phil and Egla
on his side.

I'm not going to trouble my dear friend for details on his move, as the reason I'm writing this is for awareness to the few that may not know he is moving, so they can wish him and Betsy all the best, and possibly thank him for all the smiles, leadership, devotion to others, and hills, oh those hills we made it to the other side with this gentle giant of a man, I will never forget.  God Bless you and Betsy, always and literally, thanks for the memories!

Since when has America not taught about the evils of its past?

My 4th Grade History Book

By David Hogan
Moody, AL

I'm growing sick of hearing the justification for CRT (Critical Race Theory) that we shouldn't have a problem teaching that America had slavery in its past.

WE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.

I was born in 1960 so I have actually lived through things getting better, but even before they got better, we were talking and learning about this atrocity that goes back to antiquity, being slavery.

I DID learn about slavery and the evils of it, even using the often criticized "Know Alabama" textbook in the 4th grade.  You know why?  Because even in the 4th grade we had discussions about what was in the book and how it was presented.

Move on down the timeline to my High School years in the 70's, and I will never forget the great discussions encouraged by Mr. Ippolito, my history teacher at Ensley High School, where we discussed the details of the parts in the constitution about slavery and how there was wording to minimize it and keep it from spreading by the founders, that carried forward to the ultimate end of such, through war and further constitutional amendments and legislation.

Further on up the road in my UAB History class we discussed it as well and in further detail, and like all the previous discussions through my formative years, we did discuss the utter evil of slavery.

So, many other discussions will come and go on CRT, but don't tell me we have a problem with discussing slavery in America, or having done something about it, because I know better, and lived to see it.

John the Greedy Prick Potato Farmer

John the Greedy Prick Potato Farmer.

If John sells potatoes from his farm during a crisis, does that make John a greedy prick?

Do we say the delivery drivers, and the shelf stockers at the grocery store saved us, WHILE we continue to call John a greedy prick?

If John takes his machinery no one else has and unloads needed medical supplies with it and asks the government to pay for the gas he used to help, does that STILL make John a greedy prick.

If John gives a portion of his potato crop to the local food bank is he STILL a greedy prick because he still has a house and has a salary?

Does John have to automatically cut his prices even though he knows he can't sustain doing so, because other people are suffering and if he doesn't is John STILL a greedy prick?

If John goes bankrupt and his 100 employees all lose their job is John STILL a greedy prick because he didn't figure out a way to continue to pay them for picking the potatoes remotely?

WAS JOHN JUST DESTINED TO BE A GREEDY PRICK OR WAS IT BECAUSE WHAT HE NEEDED TO RUN HIS BUSINESS COST MORE THAN WHAT IT TAKES TO RUN A HOUSEHOLD OR IS IT BECAUSE HE MADE THE MOST MONEY HE COULD FOR HIS FAMILY AND EMPLOYEES?

There is ALWAYS someone driving a better car than us, making more money than us, eating a better meal than us, and wearing better clothes than us that is absolutely struggling with decisions that SOMETIMES go well beyond any stress we can imagine, AND it is OK to criticize obvious flaunts of wealth especially during a crisis, but we are often mean and not the least bit understanding of people that do work hard to provide a lot of paychecks and drive economies whether they are a potato farmer or computer chip maker.

WHAT IS AN ONLINE TROLL?

David Hogan
Leeds, AL

Photo from Wampler Pedals Website

OK lots of people have different takes on what an online troll is, but think about someone that comes into a discussion to STIR UP DISCORD. Emphasis on "comes into". If they were stating what others consider discord on their "own" timeline that's NOT trolling. The "trolling" aspect is about doing it where not invited, just like a troll in old tales sneaks into camp.

Most of the time trolls WILL NOT like your other posts you make about life in general, they will not celebrate anything positive in your life, they'll seldom take the time out of their superior and uppity life to like a post of you celebrating a birthday, wedding, graduation, or mourning illness or death.

But if you post ANYTHING they have a strong opinion of, they are MORE than happy to use your platform, or your post on your timeline to set the world straight and show all the error of your ways.

I don't consider someone on their own timeline to be a troll as they aren't trolling there, as it's their own original thought. Many TROLLS not only do this on your timeline they'll do it in groups too. It doesn't matter what the group is about, they'll find a way to throw in their diatribe or trigger.

A common group example is to come into a group that is absolutely biased on something and stir up crap. I'm not talking about a neutral or even supposed neutral place like a news page, even though most are biased but there is the assumption they should be fair, I'm talking about being a hater of a particular candidate for example and stirring discord and hate on their page. They know the majority will come down on them like white on rice, but they don't care, it's what they do.

Trolls exist politically on ALL sides. Many trolls head straight to their opponents pages to SHOW THEM THE TRUTH, and they believe that too. What they ignore is that unless they are making a peaceful post they haven't changed one mind, and what they have most likely done is HARDEN them up against both them and their cause.

Trolls often think they are harbingers of the TRUTH when in fact they are just SHIT STIRRERS because they're not being realistic about influencing people, they're being self-righteous dicks, EVEN if their cause is a worthy one.

That's a troll and they are a special kind of pond scum too.

An Immigration Story, Close to Home

David Hogan
Leeds, AL

Let's say you run a water distribution company out of your home and your basement is FILLED with pallets of bottled water. You even sell to a lot of your neighbors in town. THEN one day the city water supply is poisoned by a train that spills poison chemicals in the local lake water supply in a derailment, and it also blocks off the only road coming into the town as well. Authorities are struggling with the poison chemical because trying to right the derailed train may spill more and this has now moved into 4 days, and people have been without water for four days. YOU, owning a bottled water distribution center put a pallet of bottled water out in your driveway asking everyone to please take only 5 bottles a day and you'll put more out each day. In no time the pallet is emptied and the next day you hear the front door opening and people are pouring in your living room telling you they demand the water NOW. The first thing you have to do is get them out of the house and close the front door to get a hold of the situation. You want to help, but this is dangerous now. Welcome to immigration in America! So how dare you close the door, even if temporarily.

God NEVER left America, We Left God

David Hogan
Leeds, AL

God NEVER left America, we left God.

Picture courtesy of Liquid Church

There is NO doubt in my mind the rise of socialism, the rise of mass shootings, the rise of drug addicted homelessness, the amount of children without both parents, the rise in suicide, the poverty of not just lack of material things but the utter lack of any hope at all in the eyes of people I've seen on the streets and on lone park benches in utter despair, are the lack of a relationship with our creator.

Now so many are pissed at God and religion and often it's because we didn't get our way, or we had to put up with a goody two shoes pointing their religious finger at us, or we had to put up with bullies that USED to be kept in check by Godly people that looked out after one another.

Are Godly people perfect, why HELL NO. Are Godly people without the desires of pleasure, of course not many of us walk around with our pleasures showing plainly in our clothes size. Are Godly people without a need for love and yes sex from their partner, not at all in fact many of us love sex and are very good at it, we just share it with someone we love and are committed to, and for the most part save my mention of it here, keep that to ourselves.

Are Godly people better than all the rest?

Not even close, and neither do we think that, we just believe in the slogan on the money we use, In God We Trust, and one other thing, we are in NO means perfect we F$%& up all the time, we're just FORGIVEN and we know the sacrifice made to allow forgiveness and we try to give that to others.

You see America WAS founded on a belief in God and history does prove it, but more important is God NEVER left America, we as a whole, left God, but God remains loving and reachable America!

Go back to a church, move around if you have to, read the bible, stay a reasonable distance from those that point their finger in judgement at you even at churches, but also realize the path is not without work, and do your part, alone if you have to, in fact we will grow strong in our relationship with God when it begins personally and alone, for then we can truly help others.

Godly folks do not turn away those trying, do not raise a superior smug attitude on anyone trying, but neither can they sit on their duff, they must put forth effort, but with our help, not with our judgement. They will fail many times, just as we fail, and we cannot discard them, but neither can they be given a free ride, for Godly people WORK together to GLORIFY GOD.

Why? Because, IN GOD WE TRUST!

Picture from internet search and marked from PersonalExcellence.co