Piece Corps
New member
Sometimes you have to stick to principles. I have a married sister in CA (Please, God forgive me!) who I loved to visit in better times. (Off-topic: she ran for Congress out there in '96) But since the Patriot Act, both the government and the airlines have conspired to make air travel miserable at best and ugly at worst. As it would be nearly impossible for me to drive from Florida to CA, I doubt that I would travel out there in any emergency. I love my sister dearly, but I don't think visiting her in the hospital or attending her funeral would be necessary.I gotcha, though, when someone is sick or worse and you need to get there NOW, the train or a car just doesn't always cut it. Guess it's a matter of priorities and what we agree to "put up with" so we can do what we feel we need to do. If you don't feel the need then you are doing what you feel you need to do, right?
Long time no talk, Piece. How ya been?
Peace.
Stay safe!
I have a brother in TX, and that is within driving distance, so I'd probably make some effort to be there for him if the circumstances were critical. But there is nothing I could do aside from comforting his wife (they have no children). Don't get me wrong - I'm not a cold, unfeeling person. But unless I had to be there to take care of his house or help with moving, etc. I don't feel "being there" is that important, when there are many local friends and other family nearby.
The rest of my family lives in PA (2 daughters and 6 grandchildren) and NJ (my mother-in-law). I have driven there several times (the drive is nice and easy) and have no problems, even in an emergency (God forbid) I can be there in a little over 28 hours. Again, there are many others nearby to handle things until my wife and I get there. Matter of fact, my wife has no problems flying, so she can be there in 3 hours, and I'd be there shortly.
Hence - no flying commercial, at least until someone in government gets a brain and actually follows our Constitution and trashes the Patriot Act. And it's getting worse - here in Florida, in order to renew your D/L, you need to produce a birth certificate, a Social Security card, a marriage license, and two proofs of residence: mortgage, voter registration card, car insurance, utility bill, etc. Now, I've been a licensed driver since 1963, and I was boren and raised in Florida. As a result of this new requirement, I might just start driving witout a license after it expires in 2012. That's how strong I feel about this government intrusion into our freedoms.
How have I been? Great! Working on a new Web site, which will be called Citizens for a Constitutional Republic. Also going to the 2nd Amendment march on April 19th. Gonna be there?