It's all good.
Last friday, the latest round of "work force reduction" was completed at my work place. Had to say goodbye to the manager who hired me into my current position.
I've spent a good deal of time thinking about "disposable income" lately and my job security.
As I sift through the stack of mail, there's always the obligatory mass of donation requests from the NRA, GOA, JPFO, SAS, OFF, CCRKBA, National Geograpic and the Oregon State Sheriff's Association. Each time I contribute, I get put onto another mailing list.
I'm not a rich man nor am I poor. I live fairly comfortably by American standards and down right well by world standards. Most of my money I've spent on guns, ammo and firearms accessories, the rest of it I've foolishly wasted.
I figure that I donate about $1000 every year for various causes and have been doing this for about 10 years. Approx. $350-$400 goes to the NRA each year since they are the 800 lb. primate in the room.
I support everything from public radio(OPB) to the cops who give me speeding tickets.
When I was young, I asked my mother why she shopped at Farmer's Markets and small mom and pop grocery stores instead of the big box stores where she could save some money.
She told me that the quality was better and that if these quality venues were to survive, they needed the communities' support. Paying a little bit more for quality fresh delicious locally grown/butchered food was seen as a good decision. All boils down to, Ya get what ya pay for. Something gunnies can relate to.
After thinking about this concept for three decades, now I understand.
The pro-2A community supports pro-freedom orgs out of a sad neccesity. When all of our elected officials, military troops and LEO's take an OATH to Preserve, Protect and Defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, both foriegn and domestic, the NRA should not be needed. Goa should not be needed. JPFO should not be needed. Blah blah blah.
The fact that we do have pro-Freedom grass-roots orgs in existence TO support should give us all great pause.
When the establishment strays from the Founders, it is the Right and the Duty of every citizen to remind our "masters" where the true power resides.
Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go buy some sweet corn and write a few checks.
3 comments:
Great way to put it. I buy a lot of my stuff at smaller places, too. I *could* buy all of my electronics supplies online, but I spend a good chunk of that budget at the little hole-in-the-wall place down the street from me. They've come through for me, and a lot of other geeks, with hard to get stuff at a fair price. And it's got the old-time General Store feeling to it. Customers helping other customers with questions about arcane technical stuff, and just shooting the breeze. When I worked for one of the start-ups I helped, we got 90% of our parts there because they took a chance on us, and extended credit. They got a lot of sales, and we got the company off the ground.
i totally agree. well said. we do shop at Kroger, but also stop at local produce stands, buy our eggs from a guy who is scratching out a living with free range chickens and big garden. shop at small town stores that have been there for a million years and hanging on by a thread.
we all need to support the litle guys
Very well said.
My wife and one of her friends started a farmer's co-op to support local produce/meat/dairy producers and now get most of our groceries (including grain for bread) from small local operations. The quality is much, much better and works out cheaper when purchased in bulk.
The bottom line is that we have to look out for each other locally. If TSHTF we'll need local networks of suppliers to keep each other going.
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