Hot Time In Tampa Town This August

I can hardly wait until August rolls around in 2012. Tampa should be more fun than a monkey poo-fight at the Lowry Park Zoo - probably about as much fun as getting your johnson caught in your zipper even. Guys, you remember how much fun that is, don't you?

After 42 years in our fair burg I don't get too excited about the oppressive heat and humidity of August, nor do the afternoon thunder-boomers that roll through get me too worked up. This time around, August could be more exciting than a trip back in time to the OK Corral. Yipee Ki Yay!

In addition to the clowns on the right who want nothing more than kicking Obama's ass out of office, plus their Tea Bagger puppet-masters, Tampa should be getting way more than our fair share of protesters protesting - well,  everything.

What makes me think of the wild west coming to the West-central Florida coast are two headlines that were featured recently in the same edition of the St. Pete Times.

Dramatic shift in U.S. attitudes behind gun acquisition

It seems that domestic handgun production and imports more than doubled over four years to about 4.6 million in 2009, according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation, a gun-industry trade group. This surge was fueled by shifting politics and demographics. That, and because it has become easier and more acceptable for Americans to buy and carry firearms.

Now, let's couple that headline with another one in the same paper.

Specter of protests outside Tampa's Republican National Convention stirs concern

It seems that Tampa expects up to 15,000 protesters when the GOP comes to town Aug. 27-30. According to the Times, "Once that happens, city officials will be able to make decisions on a variety of fronts."

I hope to shout there needs to be some decision making, and it needs to be on-going starting months ago. Can you picture downtown Tampa overrun with a bunch of gun toting lunatics - I mean more than usual?

Tampa Police and Mayor Bob Buckhorn say law-abiding protesters will be able to exercise their First Amendment rights. That is all well and good, but with all the right wing loonies roaming around the country these days, what about those "patriotic Americans" who think it is perfectly okey-dokey to exercise their Second Amendment rights whenever their delusions are not fulfilled? Buckhorn and the police have stated that they won't be tolerating any law breaking. We can only hope!

I have no doubt that our local law enforcement officials are willing and able to do everything in their power to keep the peace. Nevertheless, Florida gun laws are some of the least restrictive compared to other states. So, if you have a concealed carry permit from another state it will be honored here in Florida. On top of that, Florida allows the concealed carry of knives, tear gas guns, Paddy whackers (billy club), and electronic weapons in addition to handguns.

Now then, doesn't that give you a case of the warm fuzzies? I haven't decided whether we should leave the city for a few days or just barricade ourselves inside the ranchero with our Second Amendment rights at the ready. And, I need to be gittin' myself one of them there Paddy whackers if for no other reason than to be able to announce to the world that I got me a Paddy whacker. Sounds kinky, don't it?

Lock and load, y'all.