Wednesday, December 01, 2004
Lazy Round-up
I've been lazy the last couple of days, but others have maintained.
Kirk over at Limpidity finally got in gear and posted his range report on his new AR upper. Sounds like a sweet machine once the glass got tuned up. I've had a 24" RRA varmint upper that sounds vaguely like the configuration Kirk has. Spent a couple days on the range sighting before I realized that I had screwed up the scope mount. In the run up to deer season, it seemed to be about 75% of the problems they encountered while trying to get things sighted in. If the rifle is in good shape and it is still shooting like crap, chances are you screwed up mounting the scope.
Publicola has a good essay up about the need to understand the phraseology used in the gun debate.
Kevin at Smallest Minority has been mixing it up with the folks at the NSSF. Please note, Kevin's archives are a little weird at this point and when you pull the link, it may appear blank. Just scroll down a ways and you'll get to the gist.
Finally, after the weirdos and hate-mongers I've had responding to my Hmong links, a local posted a very heartfelt comment about the victims. He posted it anonymously, so I am reprinting it without permission, but it contains some information and sentiments you won't find via Dan Rather and the gang:
Hello. I just would like to say a few things. I stumbled upon this site as I was looking up todays events with Chai Vang. The reason that I am interested in this is because I live here in Rice Lake WI where the 6 people who were killed and the 2 people who were injured are from. I had my own family of hunters in the woods the day that Chai Vang lost his mind. I say that loosely. There are a few things that I would like to clear up. One is that the reason they only had one gun between a group of 20 hunters is...There was only one set of hunters in the woods actually hunting when they noticed Mr. Vang (definately more respect than I should give him) sitting in a fellow hunters' stand. So..there was only ONE gun needed in the woods at that time. When the altercation happened with Vang and a couple of other hunters came out of the cabin, they had no reason to bring out weapons. And again...after Vang began his massacre and the others came out after recieving a call for help, they weren't thinking anything that bad was happening out there, so they did not bring weapons. They left 2 younger hunters inside the cabin and went to find out what was going on. One of the boys was a nephew and a son of some who were getting killed in the woods. I know that one of the hunters that survived said that one of the land owner (who died) did say something to Vang after he refused to leave that wasn't nice. But when someone isn't listening to you and you needed the stand for your family for the days hunt and you started out trying to be nice, you tend to raise your voice a bit. And he said some profane things as well. Which isn't shocking. But he wasn't going to shoot at Mr. Vang. I know this because he was an upstanding member and business owner in our community. He was prideful in our tradition of hunting and excited to be hunting with his sons and nephews and friends. The son who was screaming "Help Me!! Help Me!!" as Vang chased him down and shot him 4 times in the back. The friends who were shot of the 4 wheeler 3 times each in the back as they were trying to get away, not be confrontational. One of the people on that ATV that was shot off of it and hit 3 times in the back was a woman. Not just a woman, but a daughter, who's father was wounded and lie next to a tree and watched his daughter get slaughtered along with a close friend. You tell me that these 6 people deserved to die and that you hope that they had a slow death and rot in hell. Well...I believe that you should get the facts straight before you pass judgement. I know that there are a lot of white people with problems. I know the same is true about every race of humanity. I am not going to side with a murderer just because I might demean my race. It is more demeaning to my race to have me side with the murderer than it is to accept that there are bad people in every bunch, and that not all peoples are worthy of acceptance. That no matter what "race" you are there are bad and good. But just because you are Hmong, doesn't mean what Chai Vang did was deserved by those lives he shattered that one cherished opening deer season weekend. It will forever haunt this community. I don't condemn all Hmongs for the action of this one sick individual. Just as I don't condone the behavior of all Whites. I think it's wrong to do so. Please just know that the people that were affected here were good people. Mr. Crotteau and his son Joe, who were the co-owners of a father/son business, left behind a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister, a son and a brother. Shattered a family. Mr. Laski who was the mananger of a building center left behind a wife and children...3 that I know of. Ms. Willers was engaged to be married, as was Joe Crotteau. Mr. Drew was well known an loved in this area and left behind lots of family. Mr. Roidt was a fun loving individual who was always ready for anything. He was up to working or playing with children. Mr. Hesebeck and Mr. Willers were both very nice men. This tragedy should not have happened. Please forgive me if I have offended anyone. That is not my intention. My intention is to spread some light on this very shadowed, very horrific event. Please read all you can about the ENTIRE case. Not just that you chose to see. Read all the details. Not just those you hope to hear. Thank you.
Kirk over at Limpidity finally got in gear and posted his range report on his new AR upper. Sounds like a sweet machine once the glass got tuned up. I've had a 24" RRA varmint upper that sounds vaguely like the configuration Kirk has. Spent a couple days on the range sighting before I realized that I had screwed up the scope mount. In the run up to deer season, it seemed to be about 75% of the problems they encountered while trying to get things sighted in. If the rifle is in good shape and it is still shooting like crap, chances are you screwed up mounting the scope.
Publicola has a good essay up about the need to understand the phraseology used in the gun debate.
Kevin at Smallest Minority has been mixing it up with the folks at the NSSF. Please note, Kevin's archives are a little weird at this point and when you pull the link, it may appear blank. Just scroll down a ways and you'll get to the gist.
Finally, after the weirdos and hate-mongers I've had responding to my Hmong links, a local posted a very heartfelt comment about the victims. He posted it anonymously, so I am reprinting it without permission, but it contains some information and sentiments you won't find via Dan Rather and the gang:
Hello. I just would like to say a few things. I stumbled upon this site as I was looking up todays events with Chai Vang. The reason that I am interested in this is because I live here in Rice Lake WI where the 6 people who were killed and the 2 people who were injured are from. I had my own family of hunters in the woods the day that Chai Vang lost his mind. I say that loosely. There are a few things that I would like to clear up. One is that the reason they only had one gun between a group of 20 hunters is...There was only one set of hunters in the woods actually hunting when they noticed Mr. Vang (definately more respect than I should give him) sitting in a fellow hunters' stand. So..there was only ONE gun needed in the woods at that time. When the altercation happened with Vang and a couple of other hunters came out of the cabin, they had no reason to bring out weapons. And again...after Vang began his massacre and the others came out after recieving a call for help, they weren't thinking anything that bad was happening out there, so they did not bring weapons. They left 2 younger hunters inside the cabin and went to find out what was going on. One of the boys was a nephew and a son of some who were getting killed in the woods. I know that one of the hunters that survived said that one of the land owner (who died) did say something to Vang after he refused to leave that wasn't nice. But when someone isn't listening to you and you needed the stand for your family for the days hunt and you started out trying to be nice, you tend to raise your voice a bit. And he said some profane things as well. Which isn't shocking. But he wasn't going to shoot at Mr. Vang. I know this because he was an upstanding member and business owner in our community. He was prideful in our tradition of hunting and excited to be hunting with his sons and nephews and friends. The son who was screaming "Help Me!! Help Me!!" as Vang chased him down and shot him 4 times in the back. The friends who were shot of the 4 wheeler 3 times each in the back as they were trying to get away, not be confrontational. One of the people on that ATV that was shot off of it and hit 3 times in the back was a woman. Not just a woman, but a daughter, who's father was wounded and lie next to a tree and watched his daughter get slaughtered along with a close friend. You tell me that these 6 people deserved to die and that you hope that they had a slow death and rot in hell. Well...I believe that you should get the facts straight before you pass judgement. I know that there are a lot of white people with problems. I know the same is true about every race of humanity. I am not going to side with a murderer just because I might demean my race. It is more demeaning to my race to have me side with the murderer than it is to accept that there are bad people in every bunch, and that not all peoples are worthy of acceptance. That no matter what "race" you are there are bad and good. But just because you are Hmong, doesn't mean what Chai Vang did was deserved by those lives he shattered that one cherished opening deer season weekend. It will forever haunt this community. I don't condemn all Hmongs for the action of this one sick individual. Just as I don't condone the behavior of all Whites. I think it's wrong to do so. Please just know that the people that were affected here were good people. Mr. Crotteau and his son Joe, who were the co-owners of a father/son business, left behind a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister, a son and a brother. Shattered a family. Mr. Laski who was the mananger of a building center left behind a wife and children...3 that I know of. Ms. Willers was engaged to be married, as was Joe Crotteau. Mr. Drew was well known an loved in this area and left behind lots of family. Mr. Roidt was a fun loving individual who was always ready for anything. He was up to working or playing with children. Mr. Hesebeck and Mr. Willers were both very nice men. This tragedy should not have happened. Please forgive me if I have offended anyone. That is not my intention. My intention is to spread some light on this very shadowed, very horrific event. Please read all you can about the ENTIRE case. Not just that you chose to see. Read all the details. Not just those you hope to hear. Thank you.
