Newsletter about the City Council meeting of December 6, 2011 -- Addendum on Concealed Carry in Hickory Parks and Recreation Facilities

New Business - Public Hearings:
1. Ordinance Amending Hickory City Code Chapter 21, Section 21-13, “Use of Weapons” Regarding Firearms in City Parks - A new state law passed in the last General Assembly Session will require the City of Hickory to amend its ordinance which bans firearms in city parks. Session Law 2011-268, which became effective December 1, 2011, amends Article 14, Chapter 14 of the General Statutes which pertains to various laws regarding the right to own, possess, or carry a firearm in North Carolina. Staff presented two concealed handgun permit ordinance options to the Parks and Recreation Commission at their November 8, 2011 meeting. The first ordinance, which Staff recommended to be endorsed by the Parks and Recreation Commission, prohibits concealed handguns in certain specified park areas. The second ordinance simply complies with state law and allows concealed handguns in all park areas. Six (6) Commission Members voted to endorse and recommend to City Council the first ordinance option. Four (4) Commission Members voted to endorse and recommend to City Council, the second ordinance option. Staff recommends approval of the local ordinance which prohibits concealed handguns in certain park areas. This public hearing was advertised in a newspaper having general circulation in the Hickory area on November 23, 2011.




Conceal Carry in Parks Link part 1
Presentation by Mac McCleod, the director of the Parks and Recreation Department in Hickory. He addressed the current City Ordinance

It is unlawful for any person with or without a permit to carry a handgun or other weapon concealed or otherwise into municipal buildings, including libraries, city hall, public services facility, city garage, fire stations, city police facilities, or other municipally owned buildings and their respective parking lots; provided, however, that this section shall not apply to federal, state, county or city law enforcement officers when acting in the discharge of their official duties. Any person convicted of violating this provision of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by fine, imprisonment or both in the discretion of the court.

He then went into the legislation enacted by the State of North Carolina, which has been rewritten:

"§ 14-415.23. Statewide Uniformity.
It is the intent of the General Assembly to prescribe a uniform system for the regulation of legally carrying a concealed handgun. To insure uniformity, no political subdivisions, boards, or agencies of the State nor any county, city, municipality, municipal corporation, town, township, village, nor any department or agency thereof, may enact ordinances, rules, or regulations concerning legally carrying a concealed handgun. A unit of local government may adopt an ordinance to permit the posting of a prohibition against carrying a concealed handgun, in accordance with G.S. 14-415.11(c), on local government buildings and their appurtenant premises. A unit of local government may adopt an ordinance to prohibit, by posting, the carrying of a concealed handgun on municipal and county recreational facilities that are specifically identified by the unit of local government. If a unit of local government adopts such an ordinance with regard to recreational facilities, then the concealed handgun permittee may, nevertheless, secure the handgun in a locked vehicle within the trunk, glove box, or other enclosed compartment or area within or on the motor vehicle. For purposes of this section, the term "recreational facilities" includes only the following: a playground, an athletic field, a swimming pool, and an athletic facility."

The state law gives local governments an option.

Option One – Restricted (Not Adopted)  - State Law requires that specific areas be identified

ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 21-13 USE OF WEAPONS OF CHAPTER 21 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF HICKORY.

WHEREAS, Section 21-13 of Chapter 21 bans the carrying of handguns and other weapons, concealed or not concealed, into all municipal building and facilities, by all persons, other than law enforcement officials; and

WHEREAS, North Carolina Session Law 2011-268 (“S.L. 2011-268”), which goes into effect December 1, 2011, now limits municipalities authority to regulate handguns in parks; and

WHEREAS, S.L. 2011-268 now permits individuals with concealed carry permits to bring concealed handguns into municipal parks and recreational facilities; and

WHEREAS, S.L. 2011-268 also permits municipalities to adopt ordinances prohibiting individuals with concealed carry permits from bring handguns into specifically identified municipal recreational facilities; and

WHEREAS, Section 21-13 of the Hickory Code of Ordinances absolutely prohibits persons from carrying handguns and other weapons openly or concealed into municipal parks and other recreational facilities and their adjacent parking lots; and

WHEREAS, the City Staff and City Council desire to Section 21-13 of the City of Hickory Code of Ordinances to be in conformity with S.L. 2011-268.

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HICKORY, THAT SECTION 21-13 OF CHAPTER 21 OF THE HICKORY, NORTH CAROLINA, CODE OF ORDINANCES IS HEREBY AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS:

Section 1: Amended

SECTION 21-13 (c)
It is unlawful for any person with or without a permit to carry a handgun or other weapon concealed or otherwise into municipal buildings, including libraries, city hall, public services facility, city garage, fire stations, city police facilities, or other municipally owned buildings and their respective parking lots; provided, however, that this section shall not apply to federal, state, county or city law enforcement officers when acting in the discharge of their official duties. Any person convicted of violating this provision of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by fine, imprisonment or both in the discretion of the court.

SECTION 21-13(d)
Except for the recreational facilities specifically identified in this subsection, it is lawful for any person with a permit to carry a concealed handgun into municipal parks and their respective parking lots.
It is unlawful for any person with or without a permit to carry a concealed handgun into the municipal parks and recreational facilities specifically identified in this subsection. Persons with lawful concealed carry permits may secure a handgun in a locked vehicle within the trunk, glove box, or other enclosed compartment or area within or on a motor vehicle at the municipal parks and recreational facilities specifically identified in this subsection.

CIVITAN PARK – 460 17 th Avenue NE
Tennis Courts; Outdoor Basketball Court; Softball Field, including spectator seating areas, scorebooth, concession stand and restroom facility; Playground

CLIFF TEAGUE PARK – 1125 C Avenue SE
 Tennis Court/ Playgrounds; Outdoor Basketball Court

FAIRBROOK OPTIMIST PARK – 1560 4 TH Avenue SE
Softball Field, including spectator seating areas; scorebooth/ concession/restroom facility; Playground

GEITNER/ROTARY PARK – 2035 12 th Street Drive, NW
Geitner Building

GLENN C. HILTON JR. MEMORIAL PARK – 2000 6 th Street, NW
Playgrounds; Disc Golf Course

HENRY FORK RIVER REGIONAL RECREATION PARK – 5655 Sweet Bay Lane
Soccer Fields, including spectator seating areas and concession/restroom facility; Playgrounds; Alpine Tower

HICKORY CITY PARK – 1515 12 th Street Drive NW
Tennis Courts

HICKORY OPTIMIST PARK – 751 2 nd Avenue SW
Softball Field, including spectator seating areas, scorebooth and restroom facility; Playground; Outdoor Basketball Court; Tennis Court

JAYCEE PARK – 1515 12 th Street Drive, NW
Baseball Field, including spectator seating areas, scorebooth, batting cage and concession/restroom facility; Outdoor Basketball Court; Playground; Jaycee Park Building

KIWANIS PARK – 805 6 th Street SE
-Baseball Fields, including spectator seating areas, scorebooth, batting cage and concession/restroom facility; Outdoor Basketball Court; Playgrounds; Tennis Court

NEILL W. CLARK JR. RECREATION PARK - 3404 6 th Street Drive, NW
Soccer Fields, including spectator seating areas; Outdoor Basketball Courts; Playground; Neill Clark Main Building; Neill Clark Gym

SOUTHSIDE HEIGHTS PARK – 1400 2 nd Street, SW
Playground; Multipurpose Field; Outdoor Basketball Court

STANFORD PARK – 1451 8 TH Street Drive, NE
Softball/Baseball Fields, including spectator seating areas, scorebooth and concession/restroom facility;
Playgrounds; Skatepark; Outdoor Basketball Court; Highland Recreation Center

TAFT BROOME PARK - 115 7 TH Avenue, SW
Tennis Courts; Outdoor Basketball Courts; Playgrounds; Putting Green; Samuel W. Davis Sr. Multipurpose Field, including spectator seating area, scorebooth and concession/restroom facility; Brown Penn Recreation Center; Ridgeview Recreation Center; Brown Penn Senior Citizens Center

WEST HICKORY PARK – 830 16 th Street, SW
Softball Field, including spectator seating areas, scorebooth and concession/restroom facility; Playground; Outdoor Basketball Court

WESTMONT RECREATION CENTER – 1316 Main Avenue Drive, NW
Westmont Recreation Center; Westmont Senior Citizens Center; Tennis Courts; Outdoor Basketball Court; Outdoor Shuffleboard Courts; Playground

WINKLER PARK – 2500 Clement Blvd, NW
L.P. Frans Stadium; Winkler Activity Center; Winkler Homeplace; Winkler Museum; Playgrounds

SECTION 21-13 (e)
Except as provided in subsection (d), it is unlawful for any person with or without a permit to carry any other type of firearm or other weapons concealed or otherwise into all municipal parks and other recreational facilities and their respective parking lots.

Section 2: Severability.
If any portion of this Section is for any reason held invalid or unconstitutional by any Court of competent jurisdiction, such portion shall be deemed severable, and such holding shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions hereof.

Section 3: Repealed.
All ordinances or provisions of the Hickory City Code of Ordinances which are not in conformance with the provisions of the Amendment occurring herein are repealed as of the effective date of this Ordinance.

Section 4: Effective Date.
The amendments to this Ordinance shall become effective immediately upon adoption.

Option 2 - Unrestricted (Adopted)

ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 21-13 USE OF WEAPONS OF CHAPTER 21 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF HICKORY.

WHEREAS, Section 21-13(c) bans the carrying of handguns and other weapons, concealed or not concealed, into all municipal building and facilities, by all persons, other than law enforcement official; and

WHEREAS, the North Carolina Session Law 2011-268 (“S.L. 2011-268”) now permits individuals with concealed carry permits to bring handguns into certain municipal properties, including recreational facilities; and

WHEREAS, the North Carolina Senate Bill also permits municipalities to adopt ordinances restricting individuals with concealed carry permit from bring handguns into specified recreational facilities; and

WHEREAS, Senate Bill goes into effect December 1, 2011; and

WHEREAS, Section 21-13 of the Hickory Code of Ordinances absolutely prohibits persons from carrying handguns and other weapons openly or concealed into municipal parks and other recreational facilities and their adjacent parking lots; and

WHEREAS, the City Staff and City Council desire to Section 21-13 of the City of Hickory Code of Ordinances to be in conformity with Senate Bill.

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HICKORY, THAT SECTION 21-13 OF CHAPTER 21 OF THE HICKORY, NORTH CAROLINA, CODE OF ORDINANCES IS HEREBY AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS:

Section 1: Amended

SECTION 21-13 (c)
It is unlawful for any person with or without a permit to carry a handgun or other weapon concealed or otherwise into municipal buildings, including libraries, city hall, public services facility, city garage, fire stations, city police facilities, or other municipally owned buildings and their respective parking lots; provided, however, that this section shall not apply to federal, state, county or city law enforcement officers when acting in the discharge of their official duties. Any person convicted of violating this provision of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by fine, imprisonment or both in the discretion of the court.

SECTION 21-13(d)
Section 21-13 (c) shall not apply to the premises of municipal parks or other recreational facilities and their adjacent parking lots with regard to the carrying of handguns by persons with lawful conceal carry permits. Persons with concealed carry permits may carry concealed handguns onto the premises of municipal parks and other recreational facilities and their adjacent parking lots. Section 21-13 (d) shall solely apply to the carrying of handguns. It is unlawful for any person with or without a permit to carry other types of firearms or other weapons into municipal parks and other recreational facilities and their respective parking lots.

Section 2: Severability.
If any portion of this Section is for any reason held invalid or unconstitutional by any Court of competent jurisdiction, such portion shall be deemed severable, and such holding shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions hereof.

Section 3: Repealed.
All ordinances or provisions of the Hickory City Code of Ordinances which are not in conformance with the provisions of the Amendment occurring herein are repealed as of the effective date of this Ordinance.

Section 4: Effective Date.
The amendments to this Ordinance shall become effective immediately upon adoption.

Mac addressed the vote of the Parks and Recreation Commission, in which 6 people voted for option one and 4 people voted for option 2. The Mayor asked if any members did not vote or were absent? The answer was 2 members were absent.

Conceal Carry in Parks Link part 2 

Bob Meek, President of the Catawba Valley Wildlife Club, spoke of a resolution adopted at a meeting of the Club's Board of Directors on December 5, 2011:

Whereas the City Council meeting of December 6, 2011 will decide upon the provisions of North Carolina Statute 14 and pro vised by House bill 650 as to whether to restrict the rights of the citizens of Hickory who legally hold concealed carry permits from exercising their right to carry in certain areas owned by and under control of the City of Hickory;

Wheras the Catawba Valley Wildlife Club incorporated with 375 members stands as one of the largest conservation, shooting and hunting sports clubs in North Carolina with members from all walks of life including  doctors, judges, lawyers, dentists, CEOs, small business owners, trades people, farmers, retirees, policeman, firemen, EMTs, and various other working people believing that every citizen has the right to exercise their full Second Amendment right calls upon the Hickory City Council to refrain from making any additional restriction upon this right even though allowed under house bill 650;

Whereas there is a body of evidence that indicates that the criminal elements of society targets thes gun free areas and commit their crimes; and whereas only law abiding citizens would adhere to any additional restrictions imposed by the City of Hickory. Further restrictions would make citizens of Hickory more at risk of becoming a victim of violent crime;

Whereas we believe that every citizen has the right to self defense. Presence of law abiding citizens, who are legally carrying firearms, would enhance the safety of, not endanger, the citizens of Hickory.

Therefore be it resolved that the Officers and Board of Directors of the Catawba County Wildlife Club respectfully request that the city Council of Hickory take no action to restrict the rights of citizens under provisions of North Carolina House Bill 650

Mr. Meek went on to state that he is a concealed carry instructor. It is a requirement for membership to the Club.  The people who have one have taken training in the law, both in use of deadly force and concealed carry. They have demonstrated proficiency with the use of a firearm under State Law and they have had a criminal background check performed by the Sheriff's Department. In the 16 years North Carolina has had concealed handgun carry has been in effect, approximately 399,000 permits have been issued with slightly less than three-tenths of one percent of these permits being revoked for any reason.

Nancy Meek was the next person to speak.  She stated that she is a student of History and has a degree in it. She has studied citizen rights...What happens when citizens have rights and what happens when those rights are taken away. She holds dear the right to defend herself... She spoke of the significant training that permit holders must go through. "We can have no alcohol in our body to carry a firearm.... Police cannot be everywhere... A rising crime rate doesn't look good for Economic Development.

Jay Adams spoke next. When Mac submitted his presentation, he made a recommendation, but there was very little information that supported a logical reason for restricting the carry in certain areas. In 1987 there were 8 states that had  concealed carry provisions. Today there are 49 states that have these provisions. It has been a tremendous success. In 1997,  Professor John Locke of the University of Chicago, an economist, wrote this book. It offers a lot of evidence as to how concealed carry will reduce crime. His research has been validate even though it has been seriously attacked by people on the left. He further went into mental images of the possibility of accidental discharge of a weapon versus firearms as crime deterrents... "There are no statistically relevant reports of weapons misuse of weapons  by concealed license owners... A vote to restrict conceal carry is ideologically anti-gun."

Melvin Woodward simply spoke about the restriction of his rights and wondered where it ends.. The criminals care nothing about these laws...  it means nothing to them. He doesn't understand taking the ability to defend himself away.

Conceal Carry in Parks Link part 3
Sprinkle Lawson next spoke  stated that the bigger issue was where we were not going to allow citizens/families to protect themselves to not protect themselves from criminal elements.  In these restricted areas, we are telling the criminal element that there is no threat or deterrent for their criminal behavior or actions in these zones. " I do not think that is the message you want to send." He spoke about the incident that took place at Virginia Tech a few years ago where  36 students were murdered and 25 were injured because of restricted rights. One concealed carry owner may have been able to save lives.

Mayor Wright next allowed attendees to raise their hands in support of conceal carry. 40 people raised their hands in support.

Speaking in support of the proposal to restrict conceal carry in the Parks and Recreation Centers was David Turman. He stated that he wasn't armed with statistics, but was there to voice his opinion. He spoke of the adage, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" applies here. He is personally not aware of crime problems at the parks and recreation centers. The question he poses is why would we introduce to the environment designed  for family fun and recreation, the risk of death or injury from a loaded gun when there is no conceivable gain from the change. He is not anti-gun. he hopes the council can remove the emotion and politics and decide what is in the best interest of the citizens who get the most benefit from our parks and Recreation Centers. Mr. Turman was the only attendee who raised his hand against concealed and carry.

Jay Adams spoke in rebuttal, he understands the sensibilities stating that he does attend soccer events and people do get inflamed at those events, but statistics are important. People started out saying that there would be gunfights in parking lots over parking spaces... everybody would be carrying heat. This is just not the way it works. Less than one percent of the population will even choose to get a permit. Out of that less than one percent, a small fraction will be carrying a firearm at any given time. It is the deterrent value. The notion that a criminal is actually a pretty cowardly figure who carries a firearm to have an advantage. If he goes into an area where a person may be carrying a firearm, his desire to work his mission is chilled. He understands the emotions. The statistics have been carefully scrutinized.

In Sur-Rebuttal he spoke of the issue of liability if an accident happens. he said he doesn't study the topic. He doesn't have the statistics. He is just offering an opinion.

The Council then took up debate with Alderman Danny Seaver moving that the Council adopt what the State of North Carolina states, which was seconded. Alder Patton stated that she personally opposes any firearm for citizens. That is her personal opinion. She dislikes firearms and what it says for our society to have people arm themselves in a park or anywhere else to protect themselves... Her constituents, not cut and paste anonymous e-mails, have had no influence on her decision. Those who identified themselves to voice their opinions, the majority of constituents who she does represent, want to be able to carry firearms in parks.

Conceal Carry in Parks Link part 4
Attorney Crone asked for verification that the Council wanted to enact the second option. City Manager Berry stated that both options are consistent with state law. The Council has to enact one of the options, because the current ordinance is no longer consistent with State law. Alderman Seaver stated that his motion was noi restriction, whatever the State law allows... the Constitution states that the Citizens have the right to bear arms.. it does not say exactly where. Alderman Seaver stated that he had seen videos on Youtube where gangsters and gangster wannabes were flashing guns and some of those happened to be in parks... he added that he didn't think they were all concealed carriers.

Alderman Guess said that 16 years ago, when this law was initiated, that you had many of these same arguments with people saying that our State would turn into the Wild, Wild West with all kinds of crime activity and all kinds of accidental discharges.. That hasn't been true... He made a call to Sheriff Coy Reid who stated that he has no recollection of a citizen with a concealed carry permit being involved in a serious allegation of shooting injury or someone being killed... there have been a few minor incidences. In Catawba County there are slightly over 5,000 people with a concealed carry permit. At one time he was a concealed carry instructor. he knows about the training and what it takes to get the permit. He believes that if people are nrestricted in carrying a firearm, then the criminal element will prey upon that.

Mayor Wright added that he has a concealed carry permit, but he does not carry. He wanted to see what was involved in getting it. You have to spend time, money, and effort to get it. Neither of the options do anything about his number one concern, which is home safety. He thinks that parks are safer with law abiding citizens having the possibility to carry arms versus criminals knowing that citizens don't have the right to have any. The Mayor went on to say that the reason why they aren't arguing against fully unrestricted use, when it comes to some prohibited buildings (such as municipal buildings) is because parks are a different animal.

Alderman Meisner asked about what gun owners have to do when it comes to different local communities. How does the Firearm carrier know? Alderman Lail stated that you have to post restrictions. The default position is that firearms are allowed in city parks and recreational facilities. The Mayor added that posting is a tricky issue unless they are restricted in all park facilities.

Alder Fox commented in dissention that she raised two children who took part in park activities, She is a walker, who walks all over town. She does not feel any safer because someone else is carrying a gun. She talked about taking a courageous stand, because she is opposed to allowing guns in parks. She stated that they have a fine recreational staff and incidents of crime are at a minimum. She had a constituent call who shook their head that this was even a discussion. Mayor Wright stated that he looked at all of the criminal acts in the park and it is a whole lot more than he expected. Alderman Seaver questioned how this would be enforced... It is six pages long and not every area of the parks is prohibited... It will lead to some real sticky situations (with the first option).

The Council voted 6 to 1 (Alder Fox) to allow Concealed Carry Gun Owners to carry their guns in the Parks and Recreation facilities.

The Hound believes that the Council made the right decision here. One has to appreciate Alder Fox standing her ground in her beliefs and Alder Patton listening and following through with the wishes of her constituency. This is a tough issue, but personally I believe in the second amendment. I do believe that it is a deterrent. And I do believe that the North Carolina Legislature believes that it is the right of the citizens of this State to protect themselves.


Those advocates who spoke in favor of the right to carry a weapon as a right came prepared with statistics, logical reasoning, and firm resolve. The one gentleman who opposed the right to carry admitted that he had no supporting material and basically his opinion was based upon feelings. We see this all of the time and, in my opinion, it is no way to make a decision. The people who have permits have expressly shown themselves to be solid citizens who meet steep requirements and obligations in order to obtain the privilege of holding this permit. As was addressed, criminals aren't accountable to these standards. These restrictions would mean nothing to them and give them a playground for their activities.


Peoples' fear of guns is illogical. What else do we ban? Do we ban knives? Do we ban household solvents and other chemicals that can be used to make explosives? There are a multitude of things that can be used as weapons.What would be better is to teach people about firearms and firearm safety  and rid ourselves of the needless anxiety involving firearms. And we need to fully prosecute those who would utilize a firearm as a tool in the commission of an aggressive violent criminal action.

We are on the hook for FRAUD!!! by the Banksters

60 Minutes - Part 1 - Countywide Mortgage Fraud




60 Minutes - Part 2 - Citibank Mortgage Fraud




The Hound: I am sure that many of you have seen the 60 Minutes pieces from Sunday. Wow!!! That nailed it. Countrywide and CitiGroup aren't the exception, they are the rule. The issue isn't just Sarbanes-Oxley. The issue is the corruption of our financial system from the top to the bottom.

The Executive Branch is corrupted. The Congress is corrupted. The Department of Justice is corrupted. The Securities and Exchange Commission is corrupted. Wall Street is out of control and run by a what amounts to organized crime. Everyone of the above groups have profited and the American people have been shafted. The Rich get richer and the Middle Class continues to be decimated.

What happens if you are broke and don't pay your taxes or write a bad check? And that probably amounts to anywhere from tens of dollars to maybe a few thousand. The Government will come jail you, because they don't respect you. They feed off of the weak. Yet, these people have stolen millions, billions, and trillions and they aren't even being questioned. That says it all, doesn't it?

We look to the European crisis and the bailout by The United States Federal Reserve. This wasn't done in the American people's interest. This was done to protect the hides of those invested in the Ponzi Economy. I question Ben Bernanke and Tim Geithner's manhood. They throw these daggers into America's economic system and don't have the guts to face issues of accountability in relation to what they and their cohorts have done. They are flailing away, buying time, in the face of an economic breakdown crisis. The World economic system is unraveling before our very eyes. Our government and our economy has been hijacked by these people who have been deemed to be smarter and better than "We the People." This leadership who has no common sense and thus no common intelligence.

You have people like Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina sponsoring unconstitutional, anti-Liberty legislation to protect the hides of Legislators who feel that they should never be held accountable. Hey South Carolina, it is time that you wake up!!! You talk about smaller government and individual self-reliance and then you keep re-electing this big nanny state liberal just because he runs as a Republican. Lindsey Graham is 180 degrees opposite of what the Reagan movement was supposed to represent!!!

It is time to get back to some checks and balances. I don't want to lose the functionality of the Federal Government, but right now it has gone rogue. It isn't that it is directionless. It has a direction, but that direction is an Anti-Liberty and Globalist initiative. People compartmentalize issues. Look at the overall picture. They are destroying the value of the currency. That is a hidden tax. Right now it means that the money you worked for last year buys 10% less and the money you are earning this year will probably be worth 20% less next year. They cook the books and tell you inflation is only 3%, so seniors relying on Social security are going to see their already limited purchasing power further eroded. And inflation compounds and feeds off of itself over time. The dollar from 1913, when the Federal Reserve was created, is worth 1-cent today. A gold double eagle was $20 then and had held that value for 60 years. Today it is trading at over 85 times that value ($1,710). It is time to take steps to stabilize our financial system and it is obvious that the current power structure has no interest in restoring a system to "We the People." Their actions show that they are only interested in protecting themselves and their connected cronies. And folks, they obviously aren't very good at it.

REPORT: Bill Clinton collected $50k a month from Corzine's MF GLOBAL...

PAPER: Fed may give money to IMF to help euro zone...


Guantánamo for US citizens? Senate bill raises questions



 

Economic Stories of Relevance in Today's World -- December 4, 2011

Lies, Damned Lies, and (Unemployment) Statistics - SHTF.com - Mac Slavo - December 2nd, 2011 - 1) Tens of thousands of people have given up searching for work, so they don’t count as part of the labor force anymore - When people stop looking for work they are considered to no longer be participating in the labor force, which means that the BLS ratios are adjusted to reflect a better overall employment rate. 2) Many of the jobs created are likely seasonal - As retailers got sold a bill of goods about the economic recovery, they hired more workers for the holidays. Chances are that many of those jobs are temporary. 3) The government’s more realistic measure of unemployment is still above 15% - There are several ways the government measures employment data. The “U-6,” which is the broadest available measure, counts the total unemployed, plus all persons marginally attached to the labor force, plus total employed part time for economic reasons, as a percent of the civilian labor force plus all persons marginally attached to the labor force. According to the BLS, this statistic decreased from the previous month, but is still sitting at a whopping 15.6%. 4) The Unofficial unemployment rate remains in Great Depression territory - Over the years the government has created all sort of formulas and methods of calculating statistic like unemployment to provide a watered-down, best-case version to the general public, especially in times of crisis. In reality, however, if we were to calculate unemployment numbers the way they were counted as recently as 1994, we would be looking at a starkly different picture. According to John Williams of Shadowstats.com, the actual unemployment rate in the United States is in excess of 22%. That’s one in five Americans who are without meaningful labor. 5) Europe’s debt, monetary system and the stability of their Union is on the brink of collapse - Over the last several months we’ve seen what happens to global stock markets when the European debt crisis hits the news cycle. European and US central banks have been able to stave off a complete meltdown for now, but it’s becoming increasingly clear that they won’t be able to hold the center much longer. The EU as we know it today will not exist in its current form in the very near future. When their monetary and financial systems collapse there will be a substantial financial and economic impact here in the United States. Those are Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke’s words, not ours. 6) Consumers are spending, but they are spending from savings not income - The primary reason why employers hire more laborers is because they are growing. GDP is growing sluggishly by official accounts (and is in negative territory when adjusted for inflation). Consumers, it seems, are still spending. But an alarming report says that “consumers spent more while earning less. Many had to dip into their savings to make up the difference.”


Fed’s Fisher Says U.S. Risks ‘Social Unrest’ Amid Rising Federal Deficits - Bloomberg - Steve Matthews - December 2, 2011 - Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas President Richard Fisher said today that the U.S. risks “social unrest” if it doesn’t bring the federal debt under control. “Our debt burden is larger than that of Europe. We are headed in the wrong direction,” Fisher told the Dallas/Fort Worth Minority Supplier Development Council. “If we don’t bring it under control, we will have social unrest.” Fisher said the Federal Reserve would not allow inflation to rise as a way to cushion the impact of rising deficits. The U.S. lost its last stable outlook from the three-biggest credit- ranking companies when Fitch Ratings lowered the nation’s outlook to negative on Nov. 28 following the so-called congressional supercommittee’s failure to agree on deficit cuts. “Deficits matter for what we do at the Fed,” Fisher said. “Economists have found structural deficits raise long-term interest rates” and “create political pressure” on central banks. “Running the printing presses to pay today’s bills leads to much greater problems,” including a surge in inflation. “We will never let that happen at the Federal Reserve, never,” he said. “Stable prices go hand in hand with achieving sustainable growth.” ...... “There are too many people out of work, too much unemployment, too much underemployment,” Fisher said. At the Fed, “We have filled the gas tank. Someone has to press on the accelerator” with fiscal and regulatory policies.



Will the Fed's move to help Europe hurt the U.S.? - CBS Moneywatch - Mark Thoma - November 30, 2011 - Is there any possible downside? As a taxpayer, will it cost me money to help the Europe mess? Since these are loans between central banks -- the U.S. Fed will not lend to any foreign banks directly -- there is essentially no risk to the U.S. If the Fed makes a loan to the European Central Bank, and the ECB lends the money to a bank that later fails, it is the ECB that is on the hook for losses, not the U.S. The European Central Bank would still be obligated to pay back the U.S. in full. The other possible downside is that the short-term expansion in the Fed and other central bank balance sheets that would come with these loans will stoke inflation fears. But since these loans have an expiration date (i.e. the balance sheet will be expected to contract at some point in the future), this shouldn't be a big problem. Finally, note that while this move can ease financial market conditions, it does nothing to address the underlying problems creating those conditions. So this is no substitute for the difficult decisions that Europe must make to overcome its troubles.



Audit of the Federal Reserve Reveals $16 Trillion in Secret Bailouts - The Silver Bear Cafe - Ben Bernanke, Alan Greenspan, and various other bankers vehemently opposed the audit and lied to Congress about the effects an audit would have on markets. Nevertheless, the results of the first audit in the Federal Reserve’s nearly 100 year history were posted on Senator Sander’s webpage earlier this morning. $16,000,000,000,000.00 had been secretly given out to US banks and corporations and foreign banks everywhere from France to Scotland. From the period between December 2007 and June 2010, the Federal Reserve had secretly bailed out many of the world’s banks, corporations, and governments. The Federal Reserve likes to refer to these secret bailouts as an all-inclusive loan program, but virtually none of the money has been returned and it was loaned out at 0% interest. Why the Federal Reserve had never been public about this or even informed the United States Congress about the $16 trillion dollar bailout is obvious - the American public would have been outraged to find out that the Federal Reserve bailed out foreign banks while Americans were struggling to find jobs.

The list of institutions that received the most money from the Federal Reserve can be found on page 131 of the GAO Audit and are as follows..

Citigroup: $2.5 trillion ($2,500,000,000,000)
Morgan Stanley: $2.04 trillion ($2,040,000,000,000)
Merrill Lynch: $1.949 trillion ($1,949,000,000,000)
Bank of America: $1.344 trillion ($1,344,000,000,000)
Barclays PLC (United Kingdom): $868 billion ($868,000,000,000)
Bear Sterns: $853 billion ($853,000,000,000)
Goldman Sachs: $814 billion ($814,000,000,000)
Royal Bank of Scotland (UK): $541 billion ($541,000,000,000)
JP Morgan Chase: $391 billion ($391,000,000,000)
Deutsche Bank (Germany): $354 billion ($354,000,000,000)
UBS (Switzerland): $287 billion ($287,000,000,000)
Credit Suisse (Switzerland): $262 billion ($262,000,000,000)
Lehman Brothers: $183 billion ($183,000,000,000)
Bank of Scotland (United Kingdom): $181 billion ($181,000,000,000)
BNP Paribas (France): $175 billion ($175,000,000,000)
and many many more including banks in Belgium of all places

View the 266-page GAO audit of the Federal Reserve(July 21st, 2011): http://www.scribd.com/doc/60553686/GAO-Fed-Investigation



Hank Paulson's Inside Jobs - Reuters - Felix Salmon - November 29, 2011 - What on earth did Hank Paulson think his job was in the summer of 2008? As far as most of us were concerned, he was secretary of the US Treasury, answerable to the US people and to the president. But at the same time, in secret meetings, Paulson was hanging out with his old Goldman Sachs buddies, giving them invaluable information about what he was thinking in his new job.                           The first news of this behavior came in October 2009, when Andrew Ross Sorkin revealed that Paulson had met with the entire board of Goldman Sachs in a Moscow hotel suite for an hour at the end of June 2008. He told them his views of the US and global economies, he previewed a market-moving speech he was about to give, and he even talked about the possibility that Lehman Brothers might blow up. Maybe it’s not so surprising that Goldman Sachs turned out to be so well positioned when Lehman did indeed do just that a few months later.                          Today we learn that the Goldman meeting in Moscow was not some kind of aberration. A few weeks later, on July 28 2008, Paulson met with a who’s who of the hedge-fund world in the headquarters of Eton Park Capital Management — a fund founded by former Goldman superstar Eric Mindich.



"6 Shocking Revelations About Wall Street's "Secret Government" - Top officials willfully concealed the true extent of the 2008-'09 bailouts from Congress and the public - AlterNet - Les Leopold - November 30, 2011 - We now have concrete evidence that Wall Street and Washington are running a secret government far removed from the democratic process. Through a freedom of information request by Bloomberg News, the public now has access to over 29,000 pages of Fed documents and 21,000 additional Fed transactions that were deliberately hidden, and for good reason. (See here and here.)               These documents show how top government officials willfully concealed from Congress and the public the true extent of the 2008-'09 bailouts that enriched the few and enhanced the interests of giant Wall Streets firms. Here’s what we now know:

• The secret Wall Street bailouts totaled $7.77 trillion, 10 times more than the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) passed by Congress in 2008. 

• Knowledge of the secret bailout funds was not shared with Congress even while it was drafting and debating legislation to break up the big banks.

• The secret funding, provided at below-market rates, gave Wall Street banks an additional $13 billion in profits. (That’s enough money to hire more than 325,000 entry level teachers.)

• The secret loans financed bank mergers so that the largest banks could grow even larger. The money also allowed banks to step up their lobbying efforts. 

• While Henry Paulson (Bush’s Secretary of the Treasury) was informing Congress and the public that only minor reforms were needed to protect Fannie and Freddie from collapse, he met secretly with leading Wall Street hedge fund managers -- among them his former colleagues at Goldman Sachs -- to alert them that he was about to nationalize the giant mortgage companies – a move that would eradicate nearly all the stock value of the companies. This information was enormously valuable because it allowed these hedge funds to short Fannie and Freddie and thereby make a fortune.

• While Timothy Geithner was head of the NY Federal Reserve, he argued against legislative efforts by Senator Ted Kaufman, D-Delaware, to limit the size of banks because the issue was “too complex for Congress and that people who know the markets should handle these decisions,” Kaufman recalls. Meanwhile, Geithner was fully aware of the enormous secret loans while Senator Kaufman was kept in the dark. Barney Frank, who was authoring key bank reform legislation was also not informed of the secret loans. No one in Congress was told.

Meet 5 Big Lenders Profiting From the $1 Trillion Student Debt Bubble (Hint: You Know Some of Them Already) - AlterNet - Sarah Jaffe - November 28, 2011 - ...the dramatization of what happens upon graduation to many of America's students was spot-on. Despite a few moves by the Obama administration in past years and even recent months to lessen the burden of student loans, many graduates are still saddled with more debt than they can conceivably pay back and have little hope of finding a good job in the current economy.                      The talk of debt refusal or debt strikes, as I reported just recently, has ratcheted up along with the momentum of the Occupy Wall Street movement, as the occupiers made the connection between Wall Street bankers and student debt--right down to the bailouts, as student lenders received a bailout of their own from the federal government, which handed over billions in taxpayer dollars to the banks and lenders in exchange for loans that could no longer be sold on the secondary market.                      “Student loans are among the most lucrative you can make because the borrower has no protections and the creditor is afforded extraordinary powers,” noted Andrew Ross, NYU professor and labor expert, at the student debt press conference. Ross spoke, too, of the need for professors to work in solidarity with the students on this issue since their salaries are paid through the debt of their students. “Our public universities, once the democratic gold standard worldwide, are increasingly and ruinously dependent on debt financing from the people they are supposed to serve,” he said.

 

So just who are the lenders profiting from the massive student debt load?         You already know some of the names: JP Morgan Chase, U.S Bank, Citi, Bank of America. Others are non-bank student lenders. What all of them have in common, though, is that their practices are shrouded in secrecy. 1) Sallie Mae 2) Wells Fargo  3) Discover  4) NelNet  5)  JP Morgan Chase

Despite earmark ban, lawmakers try to give money to hundreds of pet projects - Wahington Post - Kimberly Kindy - November 29, 2011 - Members of the House and the Senate attempted to pack hundreds of special spending provisions into at least 10 bills in the summer and fall, less than a year after congressional leaders declared a moratorium on earmarks, congressional records show.             Despite recurrent calls to crack down on earmarks, the practice had reached a peak before the moratorium. The Congressional Research Service found that earmark spending nearly tripled over a 15-year period, to $31.9 billion in 2010, the year before the ban.            

Massachusetts' Attorney General Files Lawsuit Against 5 Big Banks involving Fraudclosure!

Nomi Prins - Former Goldman Sachs Exec - SGT Report - Part 1

Nomi Prins - Former Goldman Sachs Exec - SGT Report - Part 2

2012 Regional Entrepreneur Summit - Building Entrepreneurial Communities - January 11, 2012

The Hound: The following information was sent to me by Danny Hearn, the President of the Catawba County Chamber of Commerce. It has been stated that this is the most important business meeting scheduled for 2012. It will help to pave the way for an eventual strategic plan for Catawba County . I hope that you will make a special effort to attend. Below is the agenda of the meeting that will take place at the Crowne Plaza. It is very important that we do everything we can to create an entrepreneurial atmosphere in this region that will enable stakeholders to create new and expanded jobs for the area. Please RSVP right away. You can register online or there is a form that can be printed and filled out and sent, faxed, or delivered to the Chamber of Commerce. I'll be attending and I hope you will join me.

                                          

The Catawba County Chamber of Commerce

and

North Carolina Partners in Innovation

Present

2012 Regional Entrepreneur Summit

Building Entrepreneurial Communities

Crown Plaza 1385 Lenoir-Rhyne Blvd SE , Hickory , NC

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

7:45-8:15 a.m. Registration & Breakfast

8:15 a.m. to 12:00 noon Program

$25 per person

RSVP required: 828 328-6000 Ext 228

This summit convenes leaders and stakeholders from throughout the Metro area who can impact the vitality of our entrepreneurial climate. This event is intended for entrepreneurs, corporate and civic leaders, public and higher education, government and community organizations. Put your voice into the discussion to move the region’s “Entrepreneurial Action Plan” forward.

8:15 am      Welcome & Opening Perspectives

Dr. Garrett Hinshaw, President, Catawba Valley Community College

Dr Jane Everson, Chairman, NC Partners in Innovation

8:30 am      Entrepreneurial Development is Collaboration

Ted Abernathy, Executive Director, Southern Growth Policies Board

9:00 am      Entrepreneurial Communities  -  What Are They, Really?

Discussion Facilitator:

William Parrish, Regional Director, NC Small Business & Technology Development Center

What does an entrepreneurial community looks like? What does current research indicate to be key characteristics of entrepreneurial communities? How does our region compare?

9:45  BREAK

10:00 am    Entrepreneurial Community Success Stories

Discussion Facilitator:

Ted Abernathy

Specific examples of what best-in-class communities have done to nurture/enhance entrepreneurial environments, to attract growth companies, and to develop collaborative networks? Which of these activities are realistic and feasible for our Metro area?

10:40 am    The Funding Landscape – Rules of the Game

Discussion Facilitator:

Bill Parrish

What are the capital source needs of entrepreneurial regions?  What funding sources exist for our region?  What other options/alternatives are needed?  Which ones make sense for our region?  

11:10 am    Priorities & Next Steps

Discussion Facilitator:

Ted Abernathy

You will help to identify Key Priorities, Action Steps, and the Collaborative Leadership to enable the advancement of our region’s entrepreneurial development plan.

12:00 noon C  H  A  R  G  E  !  !  !   (Getting on with it)

Presented in cooperation with: Alexander County Chamber of Commerce; Appalachian State University; Burke County Chamber of Commerce; Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute; Caldwell County Chamber of Commerce; Catawba Valley Community College; Mountain State University; North Carolina Center for Engineering Technologies; North Carolina State University; NC Small Business Technology and Development Center; Northwest Area Health Education Center of Wake Forest School of Medicine; University of North Carolina at Charlotte- Extended Academic Programs; Western Carolina University; Western Piedmont Community College and Western Piedmont Workforce Development Board

Business Exhibitors: The Best of the Metro Area

Food Systems: The Produce Lady (NC Cooperative Extension); Foothills Fresh and Berry Farms

Manufacturing: Sypris Technologies; Kellex and Manufactured in North Carolina

Technologies: My Catawba County ; Gopherwood Studios and

Go PriceDrive.com

Sustainable Industries: L & S Recycling; Opportunity Threads; The Biodiesel Research, Testing and Production Facility and Advanced Hydrogen Technologies Corp.

                                          

The Catawba County Chamber of Commerce

and

North Carolina Partners in Innovation

2012 Regional Entrepreneur Summit

Building Entrepreneurial Communities

Date:  Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Time:  7:45-8:15 a.m. Registration & Breakfast

8:15 a.m. to 12:00 noon Program

Cost:  $25 per person

Location:  Crown Plaza , 1385 Lenoir-Rhyne Blvd SE , Hickory NC

RSVP Required

Register: by using this form or on-line at www.catawbachamber.org

Phone: 828.328.6000 Ext 228    Fax:  828.328.1175

_____________________________________________________________________________

2012 Regional Entrepreneur Summit

Registration Form – Deadline to register is Friday, January 6, 2012

Please register the following persons from our company/institution at $25 per person

Company/Institution _____________________________________________ phone______________________

Address __________________________________________________________________________________

Name ____________________________________________e-mail___________________________________

Name ____________________________________________e-mail___________________________________

Name ____________________________________________e-mail___________________________________

Name ____________________________________________e-mail___________________________________

□         Enclosed please find my check

□         Please charge my  _______Visa         _______ Mastercard   _______ American Express

Name on Card  __________________________________________           Exp. Date _____________________

Account Number ________________________________________           Sec. Code _____________________

Return to:        Catawba County Chamber of Commerce       or         Fax:  828.328.1175

2012 Regional Entrepreneur Summit

PO Box 1828

Hickory NC   28603   

G. Daniel Hearn, IOM, CCE
President/CEO
Catawba County Chamber of Commerce
tel: 828.328.6000 ext.230
cell: 828.612.0967
fax: 828.328.1175

www.catawbachamber.org

www.startsomethinghere.com

   

A Special THANK YOU to our 2011 Chairman Circle Sponsors!

Chairman Level: Catawba Valley Medical Center , Duke Energy, Frye Regional Medical Center , Hickory Living Magazine, Martin Starnes & Associates, CPAs P.A.

Director: CenturyLink & CenturyLink Yellow Pages

Advisor: CommScope, Inc., Hickory Daily Record, Pat Appleson Studios, Inc, Peoples Bank, Sophie Woman’s Magazine, von Drehle Corporation

Benefactor:  Charter Business, GDS Republic Services of North Carolina, Observer News Enterprise, Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co. of Hickory, Piedmont Natural Gas

Supporter: Bank of Granite, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, Broome Associated Insurance, Canteen Vending, Capital Concepts Financial Group, Carolina West Wireless, Constant Contact, Corning Cable Systems, Davidson, Holland, & Whitesell & Co., PLLC, Dedicated Transportation Group, Dixon-Hughes, Draka Communications, Edward Jones - Merry Boone, General Dynamics, Graystone Eye, Hickory Mechanical, HK Research, Manpower, Mountain 1st Bank & Trust, Poppelmann Plastics USA, LLC, Realty Executives of Hickory, Resource Partners, LLC, Steele Rubber Products, Target Distribution Center, The Jackson Group, Walmart- Conover & Hickory, Williamsburg Partners, LLC, ZF Lemforder

Enlightenment about the Role of Police Officers in our society - Silence DoGood

As if it wasn’t obvious, I read a tremendous amount of material from a variety of sources and resources. Yesterday, I read an article in “The Atlantic” about how the police are being militarized -(Turning Patrolmen Into Soldiers: How Did We Let This Happen? - The Atlantic - James Fallows - Nov 21 2011). The writers, a Gulf War veteran who now works for the US Department of Justice and a Georgetown Attorney who is also a Ph. D. candidate had quite a bit to say about how American police are using military technology, which is true. How they are using military grade weapons; also true. How they are using military tactics, uniforms, haircuts, and sunglasses to emulate military forces, maybe. How the civilian authorities are using attack helicopters; what? I read all of these things and the only evidence proffered was a raid in Arizona or somewhere on the residence of a former Marine by a S.W.A.T. team doing a drug raid and when the Gulf Vet landed at the airport in some place in Minnesota, the police there were carrying M-4 carbines. Every other statement in that article was unsupported one-sided ideological conclusion that would make the reader seriously consider what country it is they reside in. Then, as if that weren’t enough, that article listed on a blog sight so I followed along to read some of the comments. There were ‘veterans’ commenting about how the police are different from the military (duh) and how the military would not fire on American civilians, blah, blah, blah. Not to mention there has been a serious disconnect between the police and civilian populations since 9/11.

Did any of you happen to read this? I can’t believe a magazine with the reputation of “The Atlantic” would print such an ‘article.’ First of all, let me say this. Police forces are para-military organizations. Their primary mission is to enforce the laws of the United States, the State in which they find themselves, and any local government for which they might find themselves employed. They save and protect life and property, and they are tasked with abiding by those same laws they are sworn to enforce. There may be departments and Chiefs who would re-order those things in that list and that’s fine. However you slice it, the police are societies’ ‘or else’ factor. The police are the ones who get the call when citizens are nervous, under stress or attack, or fear something dire is about to transpire. In other vernacular, that would translate into, ‘keeping the peace.’ By society, I mean a bunch of people living together under a common set of rules, not by socio-economic status. Have weapons and tactics changed over the years, and not the years immediately after 9/11? Sure they have. Criminals are not just armed with a revolver or the ubiquitous “Saturday Night Special” any more. Criminals come in all shapes, sizes, and capabilities. And just yesterday in the Military Times, I read where gang members are infiltrating the United States Military.

However, I started researching some of the claims. A quick Google search produced nothing even remotely relevant to American police using or even having attack helicopters. Now, an attack helicopter to me is something in the Apache, Cobra, or MI-24D configuration with guns, rockets, and missiles hanging off of it. Not one source was found identifying any domestic police agency in the United States as having such an item. The NYPD was identified as having surface to air missiles. Given the nature of the last attack, that isn’t completely unreasonable. However, the nature of the police is usually showing up after the fact, so I don’t know what good it could possibly do in the event of another such attack. It could come in handy if there was an aircraft spraying or dispersing a biological or chemical agent to halt that spread, but again, right place right time would play a huge role. The one thing that I did find of interest was the pending use of drones and their approval by the FAA. The same remote controlled flying circus that uses sensors and rockets and bombs in Afghanistan could be patrolling the border soon. Problem is, there is no target identification capability with those things. They don’t know the difference between Farmer Brown carrying a bale of hay and Juan the drug smuggler carrying a bale of marijuana. They’re targets and guess what happens to targets.

No, reading that article, I got the hint of something much more sinister in mind by the writers; a fomenting of resistance against the civilian authorities to allow for a military installation of authority. Now the writers did talk about the difference between military and civilian law enforcement missions and how the military was to engage and destroy enemy. Depending on your frame of reference and the high regard with which soldiers are revered currently, it would seem that they were saying that, in essence, soldiers should be patrolling since there are no enemies here in the United States, so, no problem. Let me remind you of a few things you have known but perhaps forgotten. The third infantry division has been trained for domestic occupation here. There is a plan in place, so placed just after 9/11, for their deployment on American soil, to aid civilian authority in time of unrest or disaster. While that sinks in, let me state this, if that deployment happens, there will be no local civilian control over those forces. They will be under Federal control and that translates into DOD or DHS control. Now that violates several Acts and statutes of Federal code, but that hasn’t been a stumbling block prior to. If you happen to read the Defense Authorization Act of 2012, you will see that it proposes to give US Military forces sweeping powers domestically, including holding citizens without charge, for indeterminate lengths of time.

Let me point out to you that while civilian law enforcement is certainly not perfect, neither is the military. When was the last time you heard of a civilian police officer being convicted, or charged for that matter, of cutting noses off people arrested and jailed? No? Me either. I can’t fathom why a Department of Justice employee and a Georgetown attorney and Ph.D. candidate would collude on such an article. Clearly, the attorney would know the pratfalls of writing unsupported conclusions with not one shred of support for the conclusions drawn being provided is absurd and would cause the rational mind to dismiss the piece outright. But what if you don’t read that critically? What if you take the qualifications of the writers as themselves being quantifiable and assume each word as truth and take it at face value?

No folks, there is something askew with this article. Police forces have always drawn veterans from military service into their ranks. So talk of that basis of training or skill levels as being new is wrong since it has always been inherent in the police since before World War II. That is nothing new. The military doesn’t un-train you when you leave. The upsurge in that type of training is perhaps necessary because police forces in the last 20 or so years have been intent on hiring kids that went to college and have no practical experience and small amounts of common sense and thus, have to be taught those things that may prove practically useful at some point in time, with the hope that they never have to use those tactics or that weapon. Civilian law enforcement is not to be feared in this nation and there is a very small, limited, and unarmed role for the military to aid civilian authority on domestic soil. Part of the oath every person entering in to military service is, in part, “…defend the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic….” In light of that, I’ll ask this, who or what makes the decision about who is the enemy? Y’all think about it.