Independence From Political Correctness - Please!

I did pick up a paper this morning. The headline read Cd'A Chamber of Commerce says no to firing replica gun.

Memories came flooding back from our years in Seattle when the powers that were banned the SeaFair pirates from their swash buckling ways. Imagine The Pirates of the Caribbean without swords. The military units were not permitted to carry their weapons in the SeaFair parade. That was back in the mid 80'; shortly before we moved on. I should hope they have come to their senses since then.

Fast forward to 2007. While in Jackson this past weekend we attended the "gun fight" in the square. It is a nightly attraction put on by the theater folks and is an absolute blast. Pardon the pun.

The bawdy ladies from the saloon face down the town bullies and gun play is a crackin'. A half block away sits the old stage waiting for passengers. If you enjoy your ride, says a sign inside the coach, kiss the horses. I was elected. Okay. I can do that. Until told the town fathers no longer allow it in fear one might step on the foot of the person doing the kissing.

A youngster can ride in the shot gun seat if he/she wants to. They used to have a trigger-less shotgun with which the kids could pose for pictures. Tsk, tsk say the town fathers. Can't do that. Yet a half block away there is the gun fight.


Now to the old home town. Gunshot sounds are too frightening for the 4th of July parade. Driving a copy of General Patton's command car, a retired Brigadier General used to fire a replica machine gun rigged with a noisemaker. Too scary for a family fun affair we're told. There will be young children there and babies in arms.

Excuse me. Just a few hours later will be the always bigger and better fireworks display. Noise? Scary noise? I think just maybe. I still jump at the firing of blanks or fireworks even when I know it's coming. Is that part of the fun? Or just scary. Please. There will be young children there too and babies in arms. Just like there were young children and babies in arms at the gun fight in Jackson. Pretty soon the correctness police will prevent us from getting a bang out of anything!

What, I wonder, will the Chamber officials do if a couple of teen age boys fairly well know around town show up with the guns they like to flaunt? They won't be breaking the law.

Now, that's scary.