My Name is Fred. I'm a Killer

“[The Founders] made the Second Amendment second only to the First, which protects the freedoms of speech, press, assembly and worship. They did that because individual dignity and self-respect, which are essential to self-government, are related to a readiness for self-defense—the public’s involvement in public safety.” — George Will

My name is Fred. I'm a husband, father, a writer, and a retired land surveyor and transportation engineer. I worked hard at my profession for 55 years and was a partner in a small business employing 800 persons when I retired. I sent my children to private school, but paid taxes to support our government schools. I paid my taxes, supported charities and provide support for a little girl in Kenya through a Christian organization. I have supported my family, been married to the same woman for 50 years and believe in God. I'm also an accused killer.

On the morning of January 8th, 2011, I intentionally entered a gathering held by Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, and shot her at near point blank range.  I injured 14 others, killing six: among them a beautiful, curious, doe-eyed, nine-year-old girl.  I didn't actually pull the trigger, but I'm as guilty as the psychopath who did.

Here are just a few of the charges against me:

I am a conservative.

On occasion, I listen to Beck, Limbaugh, Levine, Wilkow, Hannity and Fox News.  

I've been known to pick up a book or two by conservative authors; Thomas Sowell, Andrew McCarthy, Mark Levine, Jonah Goldberg or the Founding Fathers, for example!

I believe the federal government is too large, far too intrusive, and dangerously powerful.

I believe in personal responsibility and the amazing generosity of Americans to aid those in need, rather than permanent entitlements.

I believe the private, not public sector, is the backbone of our economy.

I believe our progressive tax system is punitive. We are over-taxed, over-regulated, and over-lectured.

I believe in the power of the free market to correct itself, without government (taxpayer) intervention.

I believe the Constitution is intended to limit government, and empower the individual.

I believe in holding our elected official's feet to the fire, be they Republican or Democrat (incendiary pun intended).

I believe our sovereignty is at risk via unsecured borders, out of control spending and our crippling deficit, reckless abuses of the Constitution, and the moral decay of Washington.

I believe in every citizens right to own a gun. Our Founding Fathers knew that the First Amendment would not be worth the paper it was written without the Second Amendment

I believe that our government schools and their teachers unions are dumbing down our school children to a nation of idiots.

I believe that we are under a threat from Islamic radicals to destroy our republic and that Major Nidal Hasan was a committed Islamic terrorist.

I believe a little should not be suspended from school for wearing a rosary in honor of her grandmother.

In short, I'm a madman. Guilty as charged, and armed with the belief in my 1st Amendment right to peaceably question those we elect to serve.

The only person who actually pulled the trigger on that terrible, fateful day was Jared Loughner, by every account, a deeply troubled young man.  But the real guilty walk among us: senior citizens in red, white, and blue, armed with signs, "Taxed Enough Already," flag-wavers clinging to guns and religion, doctors, the wealthy, business owners, talk radio, and any citizen that dare exercise his or her right to free speech, particularly a conservative.

We're called greedy, stupid, and racist.  We're ridiculed with snide "slurpee" innuendos, and called lewd and malicious names, such as "teabaggers."  Ordinary citizens maligned by their own government while the pious, liberal elite get a free pass on reason and truth; while Islamists invoke their religious cloak; while the ideologue professes his moral superiority; while the media uses the power of spin; and leftists, including Robert Gibbs and Barack Obama, employ their bully pulpit.  

We defend conservatism by our very way of life: as self-reliant, tax-paying, moral citizens, and faithful defenders of limited government and the power of the individual. We are violent inciters only in so much as we threaten the current Leftist, agenda-driven stronghold on government. So alarming is our threat, the real inciters wasted no time in politicizing the tragic deaths of six innocent citizens, and one revered Congresswoman, still fighting for her life.  And they will waste no time in shamelessly exploiting a ‘crisis' at the hand of a lone psychopath to further enact gun control, and squelch freedom of speech under cries of “civility.”

Does the Left really believe the "rhetoric" of Palin, Beck, Limbaugh, and Fox is incendiary?  Do they fail to understand the language of conservative "talk" is the echo of ordinary citizens calling for limited government, and individual freedoms?  Or, do they silence us because we know our current leaders don't actually believe in their own limited power?   Truth be told, even Jared Loughner undermines their agenda.  And they know it.  They know their "transformation" of America is failing, and that people like me are not afraid to say so.

My name is Fred, and I'm a killer. They are determined to stop me before I kill again.