The FBI has confirmed that on January 5, 2018, someone who was close to alleged Florida shooter Nikolas Cruz contacted the bureau, warning that Cruz had repeatedly expressed a desire to kill people, bragged about owning guns, posted disturbing thoughts on social media, and consistently exhibited erratic behavior. An FBI spokesman said, “under established protocols, the information provided by the caller should have been addressed as a potential threat to life.” Bureaucrat-speak to justify ineptitude is offensive, but so is blaming guns for problems caused by mentally defective people. Cruz’s deportment caused cops to make 36 trips to his home in the six years before the massacre; that’s an average of one visit every other month since 2012. 20 such visits since 2016, according to Broward county Sheriff Scott Israel. Nikolas Cruz had been expelled and banned from the school he shot up, and he was known to teachers, students and administrators as a violence-prone creep of questionable sanity. The only armed cop on the scene, a deputy Sheriff, waited outside the school for over four of the six minutes it took for Cruz to massacre his victims. Students who needed Dirty Harry got Barney Fife.
In the late 1970s, I was a student at Mason City high school. At MCHS and at its parochial counterpart, Newman Catholic, there was always a small arsenal – which included semi-automatic shotguns and ammo – in vehicles in the parking lots during hunting season. Students hunted pheasant, ducks and other quarry and then drove straight from the fields to class. One could differentiate the good hunters from the not-so-good by the amount of bird blood pooled on the floor under the lockers. But there was never a mass shooting and even following some aggressive fights, nobody ever shot up a school.
Gun control supporters often ignore cases where armed citizens saved lives by taking out losers intent on snuffing out innocent victims. In April, 2017, an Uber driver with a concealed-carry permit shot and wounded a gunman who opened fire on a crowd gathered in Chicago’s Logan Square. In 2015, two armed men, angry over a ‘Draw Muhammad’ cartoon contest at a Texas school arena, tried to kill its participants and sponsors. They got about halfway across the parking lot before being blown away by some alert, armed Texans, who prevented the perps from unleashing carnage. Designating places as ‘Gun-Free zones’ ignores the fact that many such zones have become shooting ranges for the mentally ill, who often are just angry nobodies wanting to exit this world as a somebody. Arming teachers and other school personnel, as President Trump favors, could stop these perps dead in their tracks.
Our Constitution isn’t designed to effectuate drastic governmental action of the sort desired by most gun control activists. It’s written to preclude sweeping change, absent a strong public consensus favoring broad, game-changing reform. Such consensus is presently nonexistent with regard to banning 15-round clips, or making it harder for law-abiding citizens to obtain firearms.
Stricter background checks for guns bought via private sales could make it harder for crazies to obtain them, but most mass shooters bought their weapons legally. Updating and improving databases is a wise expenditure of tax dollars and should be facilitated. Banning bump stocks might lower crime, and Mr. Trump is doing that. Some gun control proponents claim those who oppose their more draconian proposals are tacitly enabling murder. That’s nonsense. Yes, America is plagued by mass shootings. But it’s caused by self-destructive, entitled, unstable people, and shortcomings in law enforcement. Guns aren’t the problem.
—-
Todd A. Blodgett served on the White House staff of President Ronald Reagan, and the campaign staff of President George H. W Bush. He also worked for the Republican National Committee, and the FBI. Mr. Blodgett lives in Clear Lake, and is a member of the Iowa Gun Owners and a Life Member of the NRA.
Why isn’t there zero tolerance for “pedophiles” answer the powers that shouldn’t be need youngsters brains fractured/mentally ill for their entire life, also the powers that shouldn’t be are the ones who practice such wickedness why else would they protect them, they are part of they’re Satanic rituals, I challenge you to research the topic of “Satanic ritual abuse” you will discover what they believe and practice you can find many resources on the topic on youtube, or go have more pork & cupcakes and stay in an ignorant mindset.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/4-laws-that-could-stem-the-rising-threat-of-mass-shootings/?wt.mc=SA_Facebook-Share
Nazi Revolutionry Army. Proudly helping Americans kill Americans since 1871.
I’m kind of a history buff and have never heard/read about the Nazi Revolutionry Army. Where can I find information about it.
Put the personal biases out of the picture with Blodgett and address the real issue!! You guys need to wake up!!!
Some of the Liberals who post here know they can’t win this debate on the facts, so they make up claims in their losing battle against the truth.
Worse, yet, some of these UN-American bloggers then go on the offense, and accuse the honest bloggers of being liars.
How they can sleep at night or look at themselves in the mirror is beyond the comprehension of anyone with a conscience.
You using the word “facts” is hilarious.
So what you are saying is that it is un-American to call Todd Blodgett out, and proven with actual facts, for being a prevaricator and hypocrite.
You “go on the offensive” against scores of people, yet when you are called out for your dishonesty & duplicity, you get your panties in a bunch and proclaim “They’re un-American”. You’re such a blowhard charlatan and equivocator.
What is amazing, is how you can sleep at night considering the copious amount of male bovine fecal matter that you spew forth.
I do not know Blodgett at all, but his point of guns not being the problem but people are….DONE, BOTTOM LINE….put the gun in the possession of a mentally stable person…it’s taken care of responsibly!!! Otherwise chaos ensues!! SOOOO MANY people missing the point of all these tragedies!! Guns don’t Kill people!!..People Kill people!! I know everyone’s heard this, but think about it!! Tragedies are so unfortunate/sad/disturbing….our country needs to use “Common Sense” practices to combat the issues we’re facing!!
Ya, what’s some murdered children once and awhile, huh.
One failed shoe bomber attempt and we all have to take our shoes off & be checked at the airport but scores of children murdered and no big deal, eh.
You need a reality check and don’t give me that second amendment crap, you can keep your guns but there is absolutely no reason for anyone to have an AR-15 unless they want to kill people.
Phil, there are some people (i.e., those who try to rape, murder, and rob) innocent victims, who NEED to be killed.
Law-abiding citizens have used AR-15’s to kill such vermin, and the good guys shouldn’t be denied that right.
Some victims who stopped home invaders, car jackers, etc., with handguns or double-barreled shotguns later were sued, and/or faced criminal charges, for defending lives and property, after the perps recovered from their well-deserved wounds.
Had these victims shot these perps with an AR-15, that would have been the end of it.
Geez Todd, I guess we can reach into our back pockets and pull out an AR-15. You know how ridiculous this sounds? A handgun to protect yourself, sure…but a military assault weapon at the quick and ready? If you want that scenario, then get ready for Mad Max. Everyone will be armed to the teeth walking around commando style. Totally unrealistic. I’m not completely against your ideas by the way…just the unrealistic ones that on their surface, are just plain goofy.
Easily “brainwashed/deceived” populace with zero critical thinking skills should not be making decisions on the rest of the rational populace, video by HighImpactFlix, “A SIMPLE picture Quiz EVERY Gun-Grabber Needs to Answer!, https://youtu.be/Avk8_C1exfo.
Good idea, address the real issue.
People like you are the real issue.
You need to grow up and accept reality.
Why Todd Blodgett was expelled from The University Club of Washington DC
(1) his repeated use of offensive racial and ethnic slurs while on Club premises
(2) his non-joking references to and comments about women, African-Americans, Jews and Native Americans in a derogatory and offensive manner while on Club premises
(3) his use of the Club’s facilities to conduct business with persons who publicly expound racist and anti-Semitic views.
@ AA – that’s true, and I’ve never claimed otherwise. But when people are so thin-skinned that they’re offended at an offhand remark, or a joke, then that’s PC run amok.
Some of the best jokes I’ve heard are from members of the same ethnic group that is the subject of the humor. Keep in mind that I wasn’t allowed – at the time of my expulsion – to tell the members of the University Club’s Board of Governors that I was employed on a full-time basis by the FBI, to infiltrate members of the KKK, the Aryan Nations, money-laundering Holocaust deniers and various Hate organizations.
Doing so would’ve exposed me as an asset of the bureau and blown my cover, rendering my expertise of no value to them.
Then there’s the issue of freedom of speech, and what was once known as freedom of association. Absent gov’t intrusion by politically correct, meddling politicians wearing black robes, my detractors in that [now, ruined] club would’ve never even set foot in there, let alone been asked to join.
But, c’est la vie.
“From March, 2000, through November, 2002, Mr. Blodgett was retained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation to supply information….”
“Pierce and Blodgett had dined at the Club in April of 1999”
“On February 3, 2000, they submitted a report which contained numerous allegations that Blodgett, while on Club premises, had engaged in racist, anti-Semitic, homophobic, and misogynic conduct.”
Seems like you have a timeline issue there Blodgett. Your outrageous conduct occurred prior to your becoming an FBI informant.
But then the facts have never been important to you.
By the way, The University Club of Washington, D.C. is still going strong…sounds like sour grapes from you for being called out for your bigotry & racism and your ass kicked out.
Wrong, again. I was expelled in April, 2000, after I refused to resign, at the request of a majority of the members of the Board of Governors.
The report (very biased, and loaded with claims later proven to have been false) that you referenced was submitted in Feb., 2000, which led to the vote in mid-April of 2000 – when I was already working for the bureau.
More Blodgett lies & hypocrisy.
So you just verified that indeed the comments you made (Before Feb 2000) that you were kicked out for, were made prior to your being an FBI Informant (March, 2000, through November, 2002). Not to mention that you were temporarily suspended in January of 2000, so now we are back to 1999 for your blatant racist comments and that is well prior to your relationship with the FBI.
As to your thinking that the report was “very biased, and loaded with claims later proven to have been false”, perhaps that is why you won your lawsuit against the University Club…oh wait you lost that lawsuit.
And the University Club investigation involved more than 25 witnesses that called you out for your bigotry & racist remarks, all of which occurred prior to your involvement with the FBI.
‘Armstrong’: I haven’t lied about anything, and never denied that some members took offense at things I said. But telling/listening to/laughing at politically incorrect jokes – especially at a private club where I’d been a member for many years, while sitting with like-minded buddies – is no crime. Nor was I the only one doing it.
What irked the politically correct members was that I had hosted the author of ‘The Turner Diaries’ there in 1999, and that from about 1995 to 98, I entertained Willis Carto at the club. That was my right as a member in good standing.
It’s not bigoted to laugh at jokes, nor is it innately bigoted to speak one’s mind. Is Donald Trump a bigot, AA? Of course not.
And, as stated previously: When I was booted (around mid-April of 2000), I had been working for the FBI for about six weeks. I sued the U Club and lost only because of the liberal make-up of the DC Courts. The Judge – a Democrat – was black; she was married to a liberal Jewish lawyer. Billy Jeff Clinton had appointed her to the bench. As one of my attorneys later told me (after I had paid them nearly $500,000 in legal fees), my case never stood a chance.
You just keep digging yourself deeper Blodgett.
The inconsistencies in your rebuttal just prove that you are a prevaricator and fabulist.
“On February 3, 2000, they (The University Club) submitted a report which contained numerous allegations that Blodgett, while on Club premises, had engaged in racist, anti-Semitic, homophobic, and misogynic conduct. These included that Blodgett had used offensive racial and ethnic slurs such as “ni**er” and “kike lawyer”, “faggots” and “wops.”
Once again this was way before your FBI affiliation.
Now, you just stated “The Judge – a Democrat – was black; she was married to a liberal Jewish lawyer.” That sounds like a sanitized version of what you were accused of saying in the report. A leopard can’t changes his spots, eh Blodgett.
You also state that Donald Trump is not a bigot. Seriously Blodgett?
Trump has made more bigotted comments that can even be listed.
This just proves that birds of a feather flock together, like you two eh Blodgett.
“As one of my attorneys later told me (after I had paid them nearly $500,000 in legal fees), my case never stood a chance.”
That’s because you were guilty as hell and you know it.
@ Armstrong – I wasn’t denigrating anyone over their ethnicity or religion; I merely pointed out the truth. And female lawyers who are black (and, particularly those who are public employees, and DEMOCRATS) are liberal. Jewish lawyers also tend to be very liberal.
Since when is it bigoted to state the truth?
I also never denied that those comments, and jokes, etc., which some U club members found to be offensive predated my FBI work. And my ouster took place while I was working for the bureau, as I also pointed out.
Now, where’s the evidence that Donald Trump is bigoted? The real bigots are Obama and the Clintons.
Armstrong – since when is it bigoted or racist to correctly ID the demographics of people? Guess what? Most lawyers who are black, and/or female, or Jewish, and/or work for the gov’t., are LIBERALS.
The Judge in my case was a black Democrat who was appointed by Billy Jeff Clinton. She was a DEMOCRAT, as was her Jewish husband! I did NOT denigrate them for their race or religion, or even their chosen professions … she was a gov’t employee, and he was a professor. I merely (and correctly) pointed out their demographic attributes, which my lawyer told me was central to how my lawsuit fared in her court. And he was correct.
Where’s the proof that President Trump is a bigot?
Why do you think it’s bigoted to cite facts, and draw from them reasonable conclusions that no sociologist or demographer would dispute?
If Early Man didn’t develop Tribal Loyalty (Racism?) pretty quickly in our history, none of us would be here today. Only the strong will survive, and the weak become fossils.The unavoidable truth is that Mother Nature made us in varying designs, and different races, and She is responsible for the many other differences too. She must be the biggest Racist of all? Racist Racist Racist!! Put in a different tape..everybody has heard this one over and over.
Typical Blodgett lackey & Marquardt minion.
When you go directly into name-calling, and have no argument against the facts, it reveals your weak position. Keep the change.
Mr. Marquardt, NIT can be a good source of information and news and alternative viewpoints that are swept under the rug or otherwise ignored by the other media here in north Iowa. So, kudos to you for making this available.
And I realize that whenever Mr. Blodgett spouts off, readers click-on to see his crazy takes on controversial issues and bloggers from all sides jump in to register their thoughts. That is what I am doing right now. But Blodgett is a cynical guy who works both sides of the political fence who plays people for his own amusement.
What does that tell you?
He baits these people, and really has no desire to generate constructive discourse on important public issues. Toddy boy is a white collar version of Mad Max Weaver. I think the difference is, Max believes what he says while Blodgett only likes to throw as much you-know-what up on the wall, just to see how much of it will stick.
Something to think about.
Hey, doc, I sure hope you diagnose your patients better than you did me and my objectives.
I seek to educate people like you and provide them with some much-needed intellectual enlightenment. Of course, with some folks, there’s just no hope.
As the adage goes: “Youth matures, drunkenness can be sobered, and ignorance can be educated – but stupid is forever.”
Thank you for that deep analysis of Mr. Blodgett. I’ve known Todd for awhile now and his mind is like a hard drive chock full of data and knowledge. The smart people call him regularly to glean keen insight into whatever issue they are pondering. Does he toy with the minions? Possibly. There ain’t much else to do ’round these parts. But, he definitely feels he’s on the right side of the fence on gun control, abortion, crime and punishment – all the hot topics society faces. And he’s willing to do battle to stand up for those values. Have to give the man credit for that.
Intersting, so you consider your readers “minions”.
Minion; noun
a follower or underling of a powerful person, especially a servile or unimportant one.
synonyms:underling, henchman, flunky, lackey, hanger-on, follower, servant, hireling, vassal, stooge, toady, sycophant
How very “Marquardt” of you.
Anonymous, your less then a minion.
Yo Adolf, it is easy enough to discern the fact that you are a Marquardt lackey & stooge.
Try learning when to use the words “then” and “than’ correctly.
You sound like the stupid old coot.
Ms. Pantode, if being labeled a “gun grabber” is all you can cypher from my comments it’s clear to me you are not going to be part of the solution. I offered “my 2 cents” to direct our focus to where I believe our discussion should head.
I will be more blunt than Samuel Adams to enhance the discussion.
America has a serious emotional fever, or the Mental Health Flu. The disease got it’s biggest boost from our public school systems that decided it was more important to change the inner character of our children than to teach reading, writing, and arithmetic. These germs spread into the Media, Politics, Hollywood, etc. These germs were exactly what President Kennedy was referring to when he said there was a movement under way to “change our culture”.
Apparently another germ being spread is being offended by words like “gun grabber” as “name calling” when it was intended to point out taking guns away will not solve our violence problem. This to is part of the Mental Health Flu!
Great-Grandpa J. clearly understands why we have the problems we have. What I take from Great-Grandpa J. is this: All of the changes he has seen has brought us to the our current problem of school shootings, not guns!
Great-Grandpa J. has described some of our lost virtues. It’s time we re-claim those lost virtues.
@ Grandpa, it is not difficult to see why you read Mr. Blodgett’s fascistic diatribes. You, old man, are a right wing, chauvinistic, racist nut bag.
The sooner you join most of the other neo-Nazis from your racist generation, in your next life, the better off it will be for us who remain.
Your 1950s views never worked even in the ’50s, grandpa. But as a white man (superior race, right, Gramps?), you never gave it a thought.
Hopefully, you are many of your kind and you smoke. Your redneck outlook is so passe’ that you offend me.
If do smoke, good. Keep at it. Your type is not needed, and never was.
Puff, puff away, old man. The sooner you and your generation leave this earth, the better.
You are disgusting, and probably wish Hitler had won WW II.
I am done with you.
You sound like the nutcase here. In fact you act just like Adolf Hitler. He too wanted people dead he didn’t like.
It’s obvious you didn’t get a spanking growing up.
You sure need one now though.
Thank-you for verifying Grandpa’s post. You’ve demonstrated one of the problems in this country today, a lack of respect!
Huh? Your the one showing no respect. Calling the old fellow a nutcase and wanting him dead.
You have your thinking cap on backwards!
Maybe you should try reading the posts with your thinking cap on!
@ Lake Liberal – If I’m such a fascist, why have I helped more Democrats win public office in north IA in recent years than any other conservative Republican? Over the years, I’ve assisted Democrats Jay Urdahl, Phil Dougherty, and the late Alex Kuhn, and two others who are presently serving in office whom I won’t name.
I favor unrestricted freedom of speech, and NO censorship of any kind; does that sound like a fascist to you? The 1950s weren’t perfect, but they were way, WAY better than the mess we’ve got now.
What in G-GJ’s post indicated that he favored a Nazi victory in WW II?
Your despicable retort to this senior citizen – in which you basically said you want him to die – was one of the meanest, most heartless posts I’ve ever read anywhere.
You need help, Laker. Please get it, for your own good and that of our society.
I am 77, seen lot’s of real bad things happen to our country in the last 50 or so years. Why, this kind of crime did not happen even 30 years go.
But how can we expect to deal with judges and politicians who are reasonable on these mental issues when we have people in high places thinks its just fine & dandy for men to say they are women and vice-a-versa?
This country was not set up for lots of the kind of folks we got here now, long as they are here we will keep right on having problems like this.
As a old man I can say what ever the hell I want, and so I will tell you now whats wrong. Too many people with too much time on their hands thats what.
Why are lots of these welfare people so fat? How come blacks think we owe them anything when I never did own any slaves?
Why do government workers get better pensions and wages then lots of them that pays those salaries and all?
How come so many so-call smarties thinks crooks will obey laws against guns?
Why do we keep paying people that can’t even pay there own bills welfare money to breed on? If you cannot support your self, then don’t you go making babies until you are off my dime.
How can anybody say this terrible thing down Florida way is a tragedy but look they other way when little babies gets killed every day with abortions? Both are just awful, but neither is worse then the other.
Why do so many women think they have to try to be equal to men? Back when ladies stayed home and did not bring babies in to the world before being hitched this kind of bad stuff did not happen.
Why do young men today let their women have so much lee way? The bible says no to that.
Why can’t folks see that kicking God out of the schools is what has cause these bad things?
Thank you for looking at this.
Larrey L., Calling others names (e.g., gun grabbers) is not helpful to this discussion and says more about you than those who have posted here. I can only speak for myself, and say that I am not asking you or anyone else to surrender your liberties; yet society does require structure/organization in order to function in an effective way. What that structure will be in the future is debatable. Although you disagree with having a discussion about banning assault style weapons, the students from the Florida High School started a national conversation in an attempt to stop these senseless killings of children and others, and they deserve credit for doing so in spite of the fact that they did not start it in the place you deem necessary. And consider this; maybe you are wrong.
Its heart-breaking to hear a father talk about dropping his daughter off at school and then that she was shot in the back – I figure it’s a sign of intelligence for us to keep an open mind and have a respectful discussion with everyone, including those who we don’t agree with.
Ms. Patnode, the problems that Mr. Loeckle addresses – and how they’ll continue to reverberate if not addressed – are relevant to our future, and to the present.
As to what you referred to as “assault weapons”, did you know that an NRA member with a loaded AR-15 took out the Texas church shooter, and saved countless lives in so doing?
Then there’s the REAL reason for the 2nd amendment, which is to ensure the fight of law-abiding, pro-Constitution U.S. citizen to take up arms against the gov’t. Our founders didn’t wish to preclude future generations from having to revolt as they had. For that matter, the founders wanted to keep open the option for states to secede – as they had, from the gov’t of King George, III, in 1776 – from the union.
But that’s another discussion for another time.
We now have an FBI that tried to engineer a presidential election, and subsequently tried to destabilize our nation by attempting to undermine (and, depose) an elected chief executive and his administration, while allowing crazy, evil perpetrators of crime to massacre innocent students.
Mr. Loeckle is not wrong, Carol, not by a … long shot.
With all due respect, what many of today’s liberal professionals view as “a sign of intelligence” is often seen by us regular folks as naivete, and clueless meddling, which, if not stopped, will inevitably lead to blood in the streets.
This is why I’ll be keeping – and will continue to enjoy – my guns.
Let us address Todd’s skewed & misguided points one by one.
1. The Texas church shooter, Devin Patrick Kelley, died of a self-inflicted gun shot, not by Stephen Willeford. There were 26 killed in this incident way before Willeford showed up & Kelley was already on his way out, Willeford did not save anyone as they were all already dead.
Kelley had serious mental issues, on medication and was court martialed by the Air Force for domestic abuse.
The Air Force failed to get those records to the law enforcement database. Kelley was also charged with cruelty to animals. Fails on many fronts on this one.
2. The 2nd amendment & arms against an oppressive government. Back in the 18th century the US Government did not have much in the way of better weapons than the average citizen. The same can not be said now. So Todd, you going up against helicopters, fighter jets, special forces, etc ? Scratch that one.
3. It is not the FBI that attempted to engineer the election as it was the Russians & their puppet lackey, Donald Trump. How’s that Mueller investigation going Todd? Indictments right & left and Trump associates guilty pleas all over the place. The orange man will eventually be going down.
On a side note, the FBI is currently investigating that the Russians were actually funneling money for their subversion through the NRA. Imagine that.
4. Larrey is wrong, plain and simple he is an anachronism that is out of touch with reality.
5. With all due respect Todd, you are an alt-right pundit & spin doctor that spews hypocrisy. You claim to be a “plain & simple” man yet in the past you have espoused that th USA should be ruled by plutocracy and or aristocratic oligarchy
As for enjoying your guns, if you love an unbridled Second Amendment that much, feel free to live in a powdered wig and shit in a chamberpot while trying to survive off what you can kill with an 18th century musket.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWA0rukqrYQ
IF that sheriff barney had fed Cruzs criminal info into a National data base – Cruz would not have been permitted to purchase that gun – public servants all the way from the teachers in that school to the Fife sheriffs department are to blame – slackers – liberal POS. You do know the school and the sheriffs dept had an agreement not to reports school problems to the public – believe it or not the school received more money for less criminal activity _superintendent was imported from chicago and sidekick of the NAACP. More sicking as more comes out -now 4 sheriffs deputies that were there the whole time chickened out while the killings were actually taking place. Yea right give us your gun – we will protect you — FK off bitches.
Todd, I would like to add “my 2 cents” and pray Tyrone, Carol Patnode, and the gun grabbers take a pause to ponder this quote by President Samuel Adams, and my comments.
From Samuel Adams, our second President:
“A general dissolution of principles and manners will more surely overthrow the liberties of America than the whole force of the common enemy. While the people are virtuous they cannot be subdued; but when once they lose their virtue then will be ready to surrender their liberties to the first external or internal invader.” — Samuel Adams
For decades we all have witnessed the decline in civility and the loss of our “virtues”. In the early 60’s President John F. Kennedy told us there was a movement underfoot to “change our culture”. Clearly that movement has been successful, but it also brought about what Samuel Adams was warning us about.
It is my belief John F. Kennedy’s discovery and Samuel Adams warning has come to pass. Our expedited cultural shift over the last 60 years in America “is” the root cause of school shootings and violence, not assault rifles.
Ban all the guns you want, but it isn’t going to change the “general dissolution of principles and manners” displayed by today’s American citizens!
THIS IS WHERE THE DISCUSSION SHOULD START if we are ever going to end the violence.
Thanks, Larrey – great comments! You’re correct, and, yes, JFK’s warnings were very prescient. The game is now in the top of the fourth quarter. But Americans are awakening, though, and in the end, AMERICANS who care about America WILL prevail.
Tyrone, there’s no need to post any threats to anyone, or incite racial hatred. As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., said, “I have a dream where my little children, and all of God’s children, shall live in a country where they are not judged on the color of their skin, but on the content of their character.”
Bodacious, all I’m just a concerned citizen who encourages debate, and all comers are always welcome!
Kraig Kolller – it’s ALWAYS great to hear from you, old buddy! You had my back on the playground at Roosevelt elementary back in the day, and I thank you for still having it. Us old RO-Hawks truly stick together …
Jake, I’m also a big fan of the undefeated Harlem Globetrotters – and when I was in elementary school, I watched them play at the MCHS gym. I lost a $2 bet to a classmate, Mike Preftakes, when Meadow Lark Lemmon failed to show up. But I got to shake hands with ‘Geese’ Osby, which was a real thrill for a 10-year-old!
Retired AMPI, thank you for your kind words. I used to eat lunch at the old AMPI cafeteria wth the late ‘Speed’ and Gladie Ahlman, my longtime neighbors. They were great people, dedicated Mason Cityans!
Thanks, also, to Retired Butt’r Topp, My Two Cents, Allen, and Jason Juenger.
Ventura Vince, I appreciate your insight, but to imply it was wrong to end slavery just isn’t cool. That’s not open for debate.
Hillary-Pelosi: Get a clue, and get a life, sweetie. You seem bitter –
and being clueless, bitter, and liberal is NO way to go through life.
Hey Larrey, since when was Samuel Adams the second President of the United States of America?
You seem to be confused as to that as well as many other of your thoughts.
Perhaps you should brush up on history as you see the world through your own fog enshrouded eyes.
But since you like quotes (even if you attribute them incorrectly), here is a real one from a Republican President:
“I don’t know why any individual should have a right to have a revolver in his house, the kids usually kill themselves with it and so forth.” – Richard M Nixon
But I will pray for you Larrey, you and your misguided attempts to perpetuate the murder & killings.
@ John Adams – that’s a technicality, because Sam was still (like John) a member of the Adams family …
… as were Gomez, Morticia, uncle Fester and Lurch.
Amusing Todd, but your attempt at humor is as inaccurate as are most of your comments & statements.
Gomez, Morticia and Uncle Fester were members of the Addams family (two Ds) and of no relation to the more prominent Adams family (I would know).
And Lurch was not a member of either family as Lurch was his last name.
However through much research is has been shown that the Lurch family is distantly related to the Blodgett family…..something about 1st cousins and brothers & sisters marrying way back.
Yes, sir, I knew that the TV version of the Addams family was spelled differently … I even knew that Lurch was hired help, and not a member of the tribe.
Good one, I’ll admit about prior generations of Blodgett family (note that I don’t refer to it as a ,,, clan!) and miscegenation. But there’s none of that in our GOP genes!
Interestingly, the creator of The Addams family was actually related to the two Presidents Adams, and to the other branch of the family, who spelled their name with two d’s.
Mea Culpa
Samuel Adams was a Founding Father not our Second President.
John Quincy Adams was our second President. In my haste to quote Samuel Adams I let my Presidential history get the best of me.
Thank you all for pointing out my error. I pray you won’t let that take away from from the what I consider the real source of our violence today. Sorry.
“A general dissolution of principles and manners” . sounds like the Trump administration.
No problem Larrey, but once again….heavy sigh.
John Quincy Adams was not the second President of the United States of America, he was the sixth President.
As to the real source violence in our country, that is a very complex issue with multiple causes.
It can not be pinned down to one or two causes.
Point being to the proliferation of weapons like the AR-15 with large magazine capacities only exacerbate the mass killings.
I am not against guns or possesion of guns, but there is no need or justification for weapons like AR-15s as their only real function is to kill people. They need to be banned.
@ J. Adams (and, for that matter, Ms. Patnode): Law-abiding Americans collectively own hundreds of thousands+ of AK-47s/AR-15s, and similar firearms, which many people call “assault weapons”.
To my knowledge, NRA members and/or CCP holders aren’t the ones engaging in mass shootings. And just because some citizens believe that no one “needs” something which is legal, but lethal when in the wrong hands, WHY should lawful sportsmen, or collectors, or target shooters, or honorably discharged veterans and the like, be disallowed from owning them?
It’s wrong to unfairly penalilze those who aren’t the problem – just as it’s wrong to fail to to punish those who are not performing their duties; Sheriffs, cops, FBI, FCI, etc., in this case, who let this Cruz creep slip through the cracks.
Even the school administrators in FL deliberately withheld info re. Cruz and his problems, in order to not be denied federal funds, the amount of which would’ve been lowered had they not been dishonest in their reporting. This is because the feds award some of the funding on the basis of student violence, etc.
Why do you favor penalizing the lawful and not recognize that the REAL problem is that because of all of these social welfare programs – which have eroded our once-common ‘moral’ codes – America has gone off the rails?
Brower county sheriffs debt were told to step down ? Who gains ? – liberal demorats and their unrelenting push to nullify the 2 amendment and disarm ALL Americans – Working fine for those European stupid liberals and now their defenseless against the millions of muslim killers the globelists are shipping in. Don’t fall for MSM like CNN to warp your mind – think for yourself.
The only people we can trust is Trump, the NRA…and the Russians.
If you would change Russians to Todd Blodgett I could agree.
the very first problem is the Media. they beat a story about a shooting to death, put the perp’s name in big letters on front page. some goon (who is a few cards short of a full deck) who has been shunned all his life and bullied sees that and says wow I want my name in big letters on the front page of the paper so he goes out and acts. its the media that starts it and then ends it with the huge name letters on front page.
I just now seen what Tyrone says down there its assault, he goes I will rip your white face right off. Bullies like this Tyrone, they make it bad for all the coloreds, the threats they say scares people. Old guys like me, we did not grow up being against black folks. Always liked the Harlem globe trouters listen to Louie Armstrong, ate alot of Aunt Jemima pancakes ect. We would treat the coloreds just like regular people, there are still some good ones around, yes.
But there fewer and farther between this is just a shame it is.
Tyrone you stop hating on people no more saying you will rip off their faces. I and the wife we will pray for you but no more threats, hear? Your a lucky boy Tyrone if you would of talked like that to me and mine back in the day we would of stuff your tongue up your black ass and fed you to the carp in the Winnebago river.
Carp, eat Tyrone = man bites dog?
BWAHahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I believe Tyrone is really a white person or supremacist trying to stir the pot. Regardless, a person that needs help and prayers.
Same here and I believe that Jake and wife are the same person as Tyrone.
No were not bo, I did not wake up next to nobody named Tyrone.
MC J.D., do you know how weird you sound? So you and your lawyer friends just sit around and talk about Mr. Blodgett and his politics, don’t you and your friends have anything better to do?
If we found out people did that about us, we would think you’re a real creepy creepy.
We notice you did not answer Mr. B’s questions. How come?
Cat got your tongue Mr. J.D., it sure looks like it.
@ Suzy – you nailed it. it’s one thing for these Radic-Libs to post online, disagree with my views, leave their comments, etc. But political columns are about the OPINIONS expressed by the writer, not the writer, himself.
I see no logical reason why (on a personal level, I mean) I’m even on their damn radar.
But it’s one reason why I always carry …
NRA bought and paid for Republican politicians aren’t going to do a damn thing.
If slaughtering elementary school kids didn’t create new laws, this won’t even phase them.
And give me a break. Trump is all talk. No limits. No regulations. Bigger bullets. Longer barrels.
Anything to make up for those tiny orange balls hanging between his legs.
Hey anonymous, is your real name Phil Sanchez?
You sound just like him, you know? The jerk made a big stink to the school board last week on teachers being able to carry guns.
I think you are Phil. Are you?
Do you know Phil? I do, and there is no way he could write, or spell, like that.
Hey Phil, you still tokin, if not you should fire one up and come back to reality.
Could care less what this guy has to say.Riding your Dad’s $ lately
Who care’s, you don’t care what Todd has to say, I know Todd don’t. Look how you do, can’t argue good enough on this so go after Blodgett for his family’s money.
That just says you make insult’s on count of not having good facts like Todd. I went to Adams and MCHS a year behind Todd graduate with Troy his little brother, do you even know them?
You say Republicans is paid for by the NRA they like them kid’s getting shot, well don’t that take the cake.
Your wrong and your stupid.
So, you’re MCHS class of ’80? I can only imagine how proud your teachers must be, having read your 2nd grade level comment. Wow.
Some of the comments here make me sick. Vince says we should still have slavery, and warns he will shoot a blogger, Tyrone, who says he will rip somebody’s face off.
No, Jason Juenger, just because Carol Patnode said “assault weapons” does not mean that the rest of her post “becomes moot”.
ISEA is right, people should be more careful when they wear guns, yes. But I do know its okay in the state of Iowa to carry guns and drink, as long as you’re not drunk.
The skeptic in me thinks Mr. Blodgett just enjoys pushing people’s buttons to see what our reactions are going to be. Well I am not surprised he is against more gun laws, just bummed so many bloggers lose their cool when they take Toddy’s bait.
Don’t you people have something better to do? I know, I am commenting here too, but I am calling you people out, not looking naive or making threats against anyone.
No, Mr. Koller, we do not want laws named after us, but we must pass some laws to get guns out of the hands of the bad guys. Yes, these massive shooters all men, no woman has done a mass shooting that I know of. Okay, off my soap box.
I agree that many of these comments are examples of the worst of our society. However, I wouldn’t be surprised to find that ‘Tyrone’ isn’t a real person and is probably some dumb old (or young) white guy trying to act like he is a gangster. That scenario fits when you consider who posts a great deal on here. I also agree that Todd likes to push buttons. He makes incendiary comments and sits back to watch the fire grow. He has his fans here and they will throw wood into the fire because they don’t realize they are being played. That is the world we live in today.
BTW, I hope your moniker here ‘Hillary-Pelosi 2020’ is a joke. That would be a disaster for those of us who oppose the right’s agenda.
Old Bodacious knows all the way to con people.Like most libs he has been doing that all his life, all the while posting under a false name. Not the kind of person who should be teaching kids.
@ bo you say I am being played on count of we agree with Mr. Blodgett, ok buddy. We been reading Todd’s stuff ever since the Glob use to run it, we are not robots like you think.
This big fire you talk about hell yes it grows well, you and your kind better watch out, the fire is called angry patriots and we are taking back our country I served 4 years US Army 57-61. Our boy and 2 grandsons, they was in to. How about you, ever do your duty bet you was off in some college thats where you would of learn to look down on folks. Freedom gives you the right to call me stupid ok well shame on you just the same. I do not call you stupid or say your being played and you put more up on these thread’s then me.
Only thing we want is our country back, the real reason for the 2A is so good people cares about America can take it back like we will, I do mean by force if need be.
I know when I am being looked down on, and bo your looking down on working folks and that’s retired like me, just like Todd says.
@ bodacious no Tyrone not my real name my name be none your business. I be for real not no whitey got it. We not playing when it come to how we feel whitey done to me and my peoples.
Never said I would hurt nobody when I seen them threat to make me carp feed. It make me mad like only me and my peoples can feel. I know you aint feel me but they is anger it be real and whitey done make it. You need to chill yes bo I know you white.
When Oprah get in they will be to hell to pay, whitey will pay.
This is a joke, right?
Not no joke not no way.
Well, well, Toddy boy, you have again succeeded in stirring the pot, this time about your favorite subject, guns and ammo.
If the post from ISEA, below, is true, you might want to rein yourself in somewhat. I know Carol (Patnode), who understands this issue quite well. Carol is correct in calling attention to your shortsightedness regarding this worsening problem. Mental health is a factor which can’t be overlooked, it and always will be.
You might also find it of interest that you and I have some mutual friends, most of whom are Republicans. And they aren’t on your side here (we have discussed you and your views on several occasions). Even these registered Republicans want more stringent laws to keep guns out of the hands of unstable people.
You know such people, don’t you, Mr. Blodgett? They probably pack the room at your GOP caucuses and share your adoration of the orange haired clown whose presence at 1600 Pennsylvania avenue is deplorable.
This Op-Ed, Toddy boy, is deplorable.
In reply to ‘JD’ – What kind of a lawyer has time, during working hours, to waste on rants like the one you just posted?
I know lots of lawyers in Mason City, and have since I grew up there. It’s hard to imagine the late Morrie Laird, Hal Winston, Jim Heiny, or Chuck McManigal, or attorneys who practice there, like Soc Pappajohn, John Duffy, or Jerry Stambaugh or Matt Anderson, squandering their billing hours on nonsense like yours.
Hmmm … maybe, just MAYBE, JD, you’re waiting around the courthouse, looking for an ambulance to chase? Or are you not in private practice, and shuffle papers at public expense – so you’re able to type away while on the taxpayers’ dime?
I don’t deny that Mrs. Patnode – whom I don’t know – raised some valid points. Why do you assume I disagree with her? As to these mutual friends you claim we share, well, good for you. I’m glad you avail yourself to their company, despite our differences on the 2nd amendment.
Finally, if Trump is so deplorable, where does that leave his vanquished opponent, Ms. Clinton? After all, she was only able to win a majority of the vote in 13 states. Yet, she and her supporters were shocked when she lost.
So, tell me again, JD, about how enlightened you and your fellow Democrats are?
Todd, thought you always hung on every word from your hero Ron.
“I do not believe in taking away the right of the citizen for sporting, for hunting and so forth, or for home defense. But I do believe that a semi-automatic AK-47 is not a sporting weapon or needed for defense of a home.” – Ronald Reagan
In 1994 Reagan was a co-signatory (along with former presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter) to a letter urging the U.S. House of Representatives to support a ban on the domestic manufacture of “assault weapons” such as semi-automatic AK-47.
‘Anonymous’, long before Ronald Reagan announced, in 1994, that he had Alzheimers Disease, he was afflicted with it. When he and I met in Aug., 1992, in Houston (the Republican Nat’l convention was there that year), it was very obvious that he wasn’t himself.
The 1994 statement you referred to weren’t RR’s own words, nor did they represent his actual views. Nancy Reagan, Mike Deaver, and Sara Brady cooked up those quotes and allowed his name to be used by the bill’s proponents.
Yes, RR’s name was listed – along with Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and George H.W. Bush – as endorsers of that legislation. But had RR been ‘himself’ then, he’d NOT have thrown his support behind it.
Nice attempt at spin there Todd.
The quote that I referenced by Reagan was not made in 1994.
It was a statement made by him on 6 February 1989, just a few weeks after he left office. And those were HIS words.
I’m sure that you will attempt another twisting of facts, since that seems to be your forte in life.
You are truly a dumb ass. It was well known that Nancy ran the government when Ron was not able to do it.
Which law was used to prevent this guy from obtaining guns?
Everything after the fact is the usual knee jerk reaction.
I’m sure a good liberal will just want a new law named after them to feel good.
Is that you?
@ ‘Anon’: I’m not trying to ‘spin’ anything. I mistook the quote you cited for the 1994 statements which were attributed to Ronald Reagam in support of the 1994 Brady Bill that you referenced.
As I read the quote you furnished, I see nothing wrong with what RR said, or with which I disagree. AK-47s and AR-15s aren’t sporting weapons or necessary for self-defense.
But in 1989, RR didn’t call for an outright ban on either version of what is, basically, the same gun. Bush #41 that year banned the importation of AKs, and COLT voluntarily ceased manufacturing AR-15s .
The RR quote you cited didn’t endorse, or call for, an outright ban on so-called assault weapons.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4T41M7cCqsU
This is what we know: 1) No other developed nation comes close to the rate of gun violence that has occurred in the United States. 2) And yes, American is plagued by mass shootings. The most recent was a gunman that killed 14 students and 3 staff at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Todd Blodgett’s opinion is that the ONLY problem is with the unstable people and in law enforcement. His attempt to keep the focus off banning assault weapons falls short because they have been a weapon of choice in many of the shootings; and the most recent gunman legally purchased his assault rifle a year ago. If we don’t consider this information as “part of the problem” we are not doing our due diligence.
Let’s follow the lead of the courageous young people who have initiated a movement referred to as the “March of Our Lives” and help to facilitate a discussion of all the ways in which Americans can help to prevent this in the future. The time has come to do something to stop this madness.
Your rant becomes moot when you use the term assault rifle.
Carol, it is my guess that Mr. Blodgett would probably say he addressed the issue of assault weapons in stating he believes there is no consensus on which to base the passage of some sound, sensible laws to limit access to such frightful machines of death.
He might be correct there, which is tragic for those of us who recognize this problem and seek responsible solutions.
I have some important information here which may perhaps be used to disarm this gun crazed Neanderthal. Some friends of ours told us that Mr. Blodgett was sitting in a booth at Prime-and-Wine last week, and as he rose from his seat, he reached down and picked up a gun that had apparently fallen out of his pants pocket.
They witnessed him place the gun back into the front right pocket of his trousers. The pocket where normal people keep keys and pocket change. My sources are of unimpeachable integrity and impeccable honesty.
They also said that his companion, a blonde lady, actually smiled at the sight of Toddy boy reaching for his beloved handgun and placing it into the front pocket of his trousers. She seemed to think nothing of it, they said, as though this is a common occurrence with Todd.
People can get killed this way, especially if a handgun unexpectedly goes off.
As far as I am aware, Blodgett broke the law, as under Iowa Code, one cannot legally be armed while consuming alcohol, and our friends witnessed him drinking liquor.
This right winger is dangerous and just plain nuts.
ISEA, the only people to whom I might pose a danger are criminals and those with criminal intent.
No laws were broken in the situation you referenced, as the Code of Iowa does NOT prohibit anyone who is legally carrying from consuming alcohol, provided they’re sober – which I was.
Have you ever dropped something, ISEA? Has anything ever fallen out of your purse, or handbag? When that happened, did you retrieve it?
What’s your problem – I mean, besides being a complaining, chronic Liberal?
ISEA is like all liberals, they make up their own facts to fit what they want.
Mr B, this is one of your best columns ever, you sure hit the nail on the head.
Agree with Allen, tho, the haters will go after you like white on rice.
Pay them no mind, they do not get it.
Your report should have started with the difference between how children are raised today compared to when you were in school. Parent are not raising their children as they should be. They are not holding their child accountable so now we have kids that think they can do whatever they want without realizing there will be accountability at some point. Our system should have made checked that person’s actions long before 17 died. Too many failures but it starts at home. Wake up parents. Either understand what will be expected of you when you procreate and stop that process now.
Anon what you be sayin your racist. we dont sterlize peoples now like in them days we use to.
Them kids, they parent’s do best they can with what they got.
Talk like you in the KKK mf why is you a racist.
Say that shit to my face, I will rip your white face right off.
See what I mean.
Tyrone you can high tail your bad mouth off here, you are the racist but your to dumb to relize it.
When I see crap like you’re kind throw’s out makes me think boy oh boy, what a big a** mistake old Abe Lincoln made.
Your not ready for freedom boy.
Try laying hand on me I will blast you to kingdom come.
Ok over and out, bye fool.
Why would you assume Tyrone is African-American? Because of the language? You do realize that anyone can post anything on any site and pretend to be someone they aren’t. That should be self-evident. This Tyrone is no more a black man than LVS is a teenager. It is a set up. Just like Todd. He loves to set off the bombs that make people go crazy.
Tyrone, everyone is sterilized or should be. What you call sterilize the rest of us call “boundaries”. You throw RACE into your argument because you want to be a victim and use victim status as a way to bully the rest of us.
I sterilized my children by teaching and demanding boundaries. They obey the law and respect all people except those that want to kill us or rip my face off.
Somewhere along the line your parents failed to teach you that we all bleed the same color of blood and your outward appearance does not define you. I hope you get some better advice as your attitude is going to hold you back and keep you from enjoying the joys life has to offer.
Good post Mr. Blodgett. I’m sure there will be some posters on this site that don’t/won’t agree with you, just because they don’t like you, or what you say. I agree with you that guns are not the problem, so that makes two of us that understands what’s going on.
Yes, as usual the haters are out in force. Little do they realize how foolish they look.
Yep, the haters hate Blodgett, proves they are just a bunch of dumb lefty evil-doer’s.