One Austin resident who had her cocker spaniel attacked by a coyote in the central city several years ago said she had serious questions about why Perry was jogging while armed.
“This is one time I'd be on the coyote's side. I'm not a Rick Perry fan,” said Nancy Williams. “Whoever heard of someone jogging with a gun? It sounds off to me.”
Kay Aielli's Chihauhuas, Thor and Mr. Jingles, were carried off into Shoal Creek by coyotes one night about three years ago. But the Austinite said she would not have fired a gun to save them for fear of wounding someone.
“I'm sure the governor has more acreage than I have, but if you're in a gated community you might be endangering other people who are out in their high-dollar jogging clothes,” Aielli said.
I feel like not many people go out armed, especially not for rattlesnakes in February. I think maybe he went out to shoot a coyote,” she said.
Again... let's just interview some person with a weird chip on their shoulder and let them speculate wildly. If any explanation makes sense, it is just that the fear of snakes thing was an inside joke. I would bet money he is more concerned about some crazy human stalker... and that is what the whole story was about... scaring off potential human attackers. I don't know that, but it makes sense. Or we could use Occam's Razor and just say that Rick really was just running and really shot a coyote that came out of nowhere and then bragged about it and that is that...
WildEarth Guardians, a wildlife protection group in Denver, offered to pay for a class in assertiveness training for Perry because of his “slaying of a song dog.” The group also offered the governor an alternative to the pistol.
“With all due respect to his manhood, 90-pound women in tennis shoes effectively scare 30-pound coyotes away with a sharp shout,” said group spokeswoman Wendy Keefover-Ring in a news release. “We're sending Governor Perry a plastic whistle so he can leave his gun at home.”
First of all, has anyone ever heard of WildEarth Guardians? They aren't even a Texas group. They aren't prominent. How did they even get into this story?
Rick Derangement Syndrome, that's how.
R.G. Ratcliffe also linked to an already debunked Come and Take it Blog (which was run by a Kay staffer, according to a source who has obviously left the campaign and moved on elsewhere) that tried but failed to claim that Rick pointed a gun at someone (link). The individual involved said plainly (link)...
First, as is obvious, the Governor did not point the gun at me. Second, I did not flinch from him moving the gun around.
Here is the video...
The "reporter" R.G. Ratcliffe who clearly has Rick Derangement Syndrome didn't bother checking with Melissa Clouthier. He just took the word of an unreputable and often proven wrong anti Rick blogger that mysteriously shut down right as the primary ended...
I already blogged on the Come and Take It blog's falsehood's (link) back when it happened, but I guess R.G. Ratcliffe again (link) doesn't read Rick vs. Kay (he really should, obviously, after two major mess ups in a short period of time). Ratcliffe has more important things to do, like not calling individuals involved in situations for their side of the story before writing error filled about them.
Sloppy, lazy journalism right there...
DYLAN RATIGAN: Finally, however, the coyotes of Texas beware. Texas Governor Rick Perry telling the Associated Press that he shot and killed one of the animals while jogging in February. He says the coyote threatened his daughter's puppy, so he put that sucker down. I used the word, sucker. I don't know if he called it sucker. Perry sometimes jogs, by the way, this is kind of bad ass, with a 380 laser sided Rugar loaded with hollow point bullets. Who does that? For the record, the Texas Wildlife Commission does not allow laser sited guns to be used in hunting as it is seen as cowardly, too easy, with a laser site, to shoot anything. Though, this is said to be self-defense. Perry probably gets off. Although hunting coyotes with a laser sited gun is kind of like shooting a cow on the farm or maybe a moose in Alaska.
Either way, one must wonder exactly what Perry hopes to accomplish–electorally–by promoting the fact that he shot a coyote while jogging. Perhaps we’ll figure that one out after we figure out exactly how in the hell one jogs with a laser-sited pistol strapped to the body….
Perhaps we’ll figure that one out after we figure out exactly how in the hell one jogs with a laser-sited pistol strapped to the body…
ReplyDeleteWith the above quoted words the author's ignorance is obvious and absolutely astounding. Anyone who has actually handled one of these 'pocket' guns, like the Ruger LCP or the Kel-Tec P-3AT, would know how easy it is to, well, carry, regardless of what one is wearing. And. If Gov. Perry took down a coyote with one shot from this .380 AUTO caliber 'pocket' gun it indicates that he is one heck of an accurate shooter as well.
And one other thing. Anyone with any experience and training in firearms handling/usage and who has honestly watched those vids taken at Red's indoor range in Pflugerville with Gov. Perry and assorted bloggers would surely realize that the Perry is fully educated in safe firearms practices and had demonstrated same.
These media types really need to get some training and experience with firearms BEFORE expounding on this issue.
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