Mockingbirds and gun control

Around this time of year, the mockingbirds become extremely aggressive. I don't know if it is a nesting thing, or what, and it's not just here. I remember hours of fun back in New Orleans, watching the little gray devils swooping down on unsuspecting pedestrians who had strayed into their territory.

So, the last few days our backyard has hosted some of the more aggressive of the species. They screech and squawk from the low branches of the pecan trees, from the top of the fence, from the power lines, divebombing our cat as she crosses the yard as nonchalantly as possible. I don't see any nests close by, but I noticed they like the juicy red berries on the holly tree at the side of the house.

This morning, though, the screeching was quite loud. I knew the cat was having trouble keeping her composure as she dashed in the back door, with a mockingbird close on her tail, cursing furiously. It all made sense a few minutes later, when she brought me a nice young bird that she had obviously pounced on. Kitty was quite proud of her catch, batting it around on the floor of the kitchen for me. I had to scoot her out as the bird was loudly protesting its fate and making some feeble attempts at escape, so--out the back door they went, and under the house. The other members of the bird gang sat about, glaring at me and hurling deprecations at the cat (and hurling defecations at me, it seemed).

So what does this have to do with gun control? Not much really, except that in Chicago over the weekend, there was an explosion of gang violence, with something like 32 people shot, 6 fatally (wow--sounds like N.O.). This is in a city with some very strict gun control laws on the books. I'm pretty sure it wasn't the registered gun owners who were banging away in the streets, you know? So, for all of you out there who were waving signs at the DC die-in last week, take note. I agree that we need to address violence in society, especially in the big cities; I'm just not sure that abridging our Second Amendment rights has done much for us.

Remember--when guns are outlawed, ONLY MOCKINGBIRDS WILL HAVE GUNS. . .