The Fatal Garment Killing 1880

The article below is straight out of the Tombstone Epitaph:
July 25, 1880
A FATAL GARMENT

About 7 o'clock last evening the pistol was used with fatal effect on Allen Street, resulting in the death of T.J. Waters from gunshot wounds from a weapon in the hand of E.L. Bradshaw. The causes which led to this unfortunate tragedy are brief.

Waters was what is considered a sporting man, and has been in Tombstone several months. He was about forty years of age, powerful build, stood over six feet in height and weighed about 190 pounds. When sober he was a clever sort of man but quite the opposite when under the influence of liquor.

Yesterday he won considerable money and had been drinking a great deal, hence was in a mood to be easily irritated.

Bradshaw was an intimate friend of Waters but a very different character, being a man of medium size, over fifty years of age and very reserved and peaceable in his disposition. We understand that these two men had prospected together and when Waters first came to Tombstone he lived in Bradshaw's cabin.

Yesterday morning Waters purchased a blue and black plaid shirt, little dreaming that the fated garment would hurl his soul into eternity before the sun had set. It so happened that several good natured remarks were made about the new shirt during the day until Waters had taken sufficient liquor to make the joking obnoxious to him, and he began to show an ugly resentment and was very abusive, concluding with, "Now, if anyone don't like what I've said let him get up, G-d d-n him. I'm chief. I'm boss. I'll knock the first s--- of a b--- down that says anything about my shirt again."

This happened in the back room at Corrigan's saloon and as Waters stepped into the front room Bradshaw happened in, and seeing what his friend was wearing made some pleasant remark about it, whereupon Waters, without a word, struck Bradshaw a powerful blow over the left eye which sent him senseless to the floor.

Waters then walked over to Vogan & Flynn's, to see, as he said, "if any s--- of a b--- there didn't like this shirt."

He had just entered the street when Ed Ferris made some remark about the new shirt, which Waters promptly resented in his pugilistic style. After some more rowing Waters went back to Corrigan's saloon.

As soon as Bradshaw recovered from the knockdown he went into the back room, washed off the blood, went down to his cabin, put a bandage on his eye and his pistol in his pocket. He then came up to Allen Street and took his seat in front of Vogan & Flynn's saloon.

Seeing Waters in Corrigan's door, Bradshaw crossed towards the Eagle Brewery, and walking down the sidewalk until within a few feet of Waters, said: "Why did you do that?"

Waters said something whereupon Bradshaw drew his pistol and fired four shots, all taking effect, one under the left arm probably pierced the heart, two entered above the center of the back between the shoulders and one in the top of the head ranged downward toward the neck, any one of which would probably have resulted fatally.

Waters fell at the second shot and soon expired. Bradshaw was promptly arrested and examination will be had in the morning before Justice Gray.

-- end of article.

Tom Waters didn't like being the brunt of jokes. On July 22, 1880, Waters was being made the brunt of jokes over the blue and black plaid shirt that he wore that day. Later, while drinking in Corrigan's Saloon, the crowd heard Waters say, "I'll knock down any man who opens his mouth about my shirt again!"

He supposedly said that just as his supposed friend Edward Bradshaw entered the saloon. Bradshaw must have taken that as a sort of silly challenge and did, in fact comment on Waters's colorful new shirt. In response, Tom knocked him down and then left Corrigan's with his friend Bradshaw out cold on the floor.

Their friendship was short-lived, if anything because it's said Bradshaw went in search of a gun when he came to. Angry and humiliated at what Waters did, an armed Bradshaw found Waters outside Vogan's Alley on Allen Street and asked, "Why did you hit me?"

Waters, who is said to have been quite drunk by then, simply responded by yelling at Bradshaw about what he said about his shirt. Bradshaw responded by opening fire on Waters. Waters was hit once in the heart, once in the head, and two rounds struck his back. It's not known if he turned to run to get shot in the back. 

I appreciate Jim from The Tarnished West website for sending me the following information. 

Arizona Daily Star, Tucson, Arizona, Fri, Jul 23, 1880, Page 2

Arizona Daily Star, Tucson, Arizona, Fri, Jul 23, 1880, Page 2

Diarist George Parsons wrote in his journal on Saturday, July 24th, 1880, "Another man killed the night before last. Too much pistol play. Bradshaw killed Waters because Waters resented with his fists being

teased about a shirt." 

Tom Waters is buried in the Boothill Cemetery in Tombstone, Arizona. As for what happened to Edward Bradshaw, well, as strange as it might sound, though Tom Waters was killed by Edward L. Bradshaw on Allen Street, he was acquitted. It's true. Though Waters was unarmed at the time, Bradshaw stood trial for the shooting in September and was acquitted. Imagine that.

As to whatever became of Bradshaw, he died four years later. His death was reported in the May 17, 1884 issue of the Arizona Silver Belt Newspaper:

E. L. Bradshaw, who was run over by a freight train near Casa Grande some time since, died in the Tucson hospital last week, his system not being able to stand the amputation of an arm. The deceased was for a long time a resident of this camp, and will be remembered as the slayer of Tom Waters in front of the Arcade Saloon about three years ago. He was an old timer on the Pacific coast and a resident of most of the mining camps that have sprung up during the past thirty years.

Patient Register confirms that an E.L. Bradshaw (Edward Lyter Bradshaw) was admitted to St. Mary's Hospital on May 6, 1884, and treated by Dr. Handy for "amputated arm." His place of birth is given as Kentucky. He died on May 7, 1884. His age listed as 52 yrs old. 

-- end of Arizona Silver Belt Newspaper article.

As for his killing Waters in 1880 over a black and blue plaid shirt, I have a hard time believing that. To me, it was about being humiliated and attacked. Maybe, just maybe, that's why he was acquitted by a jury of his peers. 

Tom Correa

The Passing Of The Greatest Generation

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip 

         While I do give people the benefit of the doubt, I sometimes wonder if people really know enough history to truly appreciate the sacrifices of others. As I watched the funeral of Great Britain's Prince Philip on television this weekend, I couldn't help wonder if people understand the significance of his passing. No, not so much for who he was, though his life of loyalty to his wife and nation is one that many would serve well to emulate, but more for the passing of his generation. 

We forget that by World War I, America and Great Britain had extremely close ties. That's especially true when it came to foreign trade. After the first World War, Britain was already having it tough while paying off the debt that it accrued to fight World War I from 1914 to 1919. So when the Stock Market crashed in 1929 in the United States, so did the Stock Market in Great Britain. 

As a result, the Great Depression that we felt here was also felt in Great Britain and other parts of the world. For Britain, its imports dropped by half, and its currency, the Pound, dropped in worth by more than 25%. The result was skyrocketing unemployment. The worse to be hit were coal mining, iron and steel industries, and shipbuilding. 

It is said that unlike how everyone in America was adversely affected during the Great Depression, that wasn't the case in Great Britain where the lower classes were hit the hardest. Because of that, and the fact that building materials were cheap at the time, the British government was actually able to focus on rebuilding its slums. And like the work programs started in the United States by President Franklin Roosevelt, the job of rebuilding slums in England provided needed jobs. Jobs that many were more than willing to take. 

For Great Britain, the Great Depression was a time for suffering and a time for rebuilding. I believe it was also a time, as was the case in the United States, that prepared our peoples for World War II. And in the case of Great Britain, they were fighting in World War II for over two years before we got involved.

My personal belief is that people are placed in the times that we live in for a reason. The generation which is now known to history as the "Greatest Generation" was born after World War I. Many grew up in the Great Depression and would fight in World War II. My own belief is that the Great Depression prepared them for the hard work, toil, and sacrifice of World War II. 

My grandmother used to say, "A man feels better about himself when he's working." The ill-effects of the Great Depression on British and American families could be seen on the forlorn faces in the bread lines in England just as they could in the United States. And yes, we forget about the countless numbers of poor children who wandered the streets.

Because of those hard years, a time when they did in fact survive the lack of food, clothing, and many other essentials that so many today sadly take for granted, that generation was ready to take any job and work in whatever industry needed. Thus, they were prepared for the war effort. No, not only as a mission to defeat the Nazi war machine and the threat that it imposed -- but also as an opportunity to regain a sense of worth which the Great Depression had stole from everyone. 

They are truly our Greatest Generation because they were raised during the Great Depression and went on to fight and endure the hardship of World War II. By September of 1939, Great Britain was at war with Germany. And even with the looming threat of a German invasion, the British people stood fast and fought on. 

Here's a bit of trivia for my readers. At one point, the British government urged the Queen Mother to seek safety and leave England for Canada with her daughters. She refused. In fact, she is noted as saying, "The children won't go without me. I won't leave without the King. And the King will never leave." 

Here's more. As the British rallied to the cause, then-Princess Elizabeth did her part. While the King and Queen initially refused to allow her to enlist, in fact noting that no female member of the Royal Family had ever joined the military, then-Princess Elizabeth did go on to join the British Army's Women's Auxiliary Territory Service (ATS). The ATS was very similar to our Women's Army Corps (WACs), and she registered as inductee No. 230873. 

The future Queen of Great Britain enlisted under the name Elizabeth Windsor. And as with others in the Women's Auxiliary Territory Service (ATS) during the war, her assignment was to serve in a support function. And while many of the ATS women served as anti-aircraft gunners, radio operators, and drivers, Queen Elizabeth II was a mechanic. As for what that did for the war effort, it's said her enlisting in the military was an incredible boost to the morale of the British people during those bleak days when bombs rained on London and destruction and despair were everywhere.

So yes, with the passing of Great Britain's Prince Philip, we should all note the loss of those around the world who lived through the hard times of the great worldwide economic depression of the 1920s and 1930s, only to sacrifice so much to win World War II. 

But let's also remember that they then went on to recognize, fight, and defeat the Communist threat of dictatorial world domination. And frankly, we can all thank God that there were those who were stronger than the minority, those vital to our existence, those who were absolutely unassailable, especially when they are compared to those weak and timid souls who are so willing to forfeit their liberties to be enslaved by Nazi fascism and Marxist totalitarianism.

Yes indeed. We really need to appreciate that generation and mourn their loss. After all, we owe them so much. 

Tom Correa

Frank Loving -- Death of a Young Gunfighter

Frank Loving, sometimes called "Cockeyed" Frank Loving, was born in Missouri sometime in 1860. His family later moved to Texas. At around the age of 12, his father died. While it isn't known how his family got by after his father passed away or what young Frank did to help his family, most biographies of Loving say he was making his living as a professional gambler by his late teens. 

Most of his biographies also say that he moved around a lot and eventually landed in Dodge City, Kansas. Supposedly, Frank Loving's favorite saloon was the Long Branch Saloon, where according to myth, he associated with Doc Holliday, Bat Masterson, Wyatt Earp, and Charlie Bassett. 

During his time, he supposedly became close friends with a gambler and reputed gunfighter Levi Richardson and the Long Branch Saloon's owner Chalkley Beeson.

As was the case with most supposed gunfighters in the Old West, most of Levi Richardson's prowess with a gun was hearsay. And yes, just as with Holliday, Masterson, and most of the Earp brothers, Richardson built up his own reputation for his own advantage. Keep in mind, a great reputation as a killer was one stay alive. 

So okay, there were exceptions where a reputation could get one killed. Wild Bill Hickok, Ben Thompson, King Fisher, Jessie James, Pat Garret, Billy the Kid, and John Wesley Hardin were all ambushed because of their reputations as killers. But all in all, gamblers liked to have an edge, especially to stop someone from calling your hand when they were caught cheating. 

As for Richardson, it's said that he was disliked by most of the townspeople. And while Loving and Richardson were said to be close friends, that all changed in early 1879 when Richardson made some unwanted advances toward Loving's wife. 

There are two stories here. The first story says they quarreled in March and then got into a fistfight over Richardson's advances toward Loving's wife, Mattie. The fistfight supposedly took place on Front Street. And after exchanging punches, Richardson got the worst of it. So much so that the story goes on to say that Richardson yelled at Loving, "I'll blow the guts out of you, you cockeyed son of a bitch!"

Supposedly, Loving wasn't armed and simply left. That was supposed to be that until April, when things turned deadly. 

The second story is that the fistfight took place on April 5, 1879. And after Loving walked away, Richardson retrieved a pistol. With a hidden pistol, Richardson entered the Long Branch Saloon looking for Loving. 

Richardson found that Loving was not there, so he joined in a game of poker while he waited. He was there when Loving walked in and took a seat at a table just before 9 pm. It's said Richardson moved over so that he was directly across from Loving. It was soon after that the two men started arguing.

Witnesses said they heard Richardson shout at Loving, "You wouldn't fight anything, you damned son of a bitch!" Loving is said to have replied, "Try me and see."

It was then that Richardson jumped to his feet and drew a pistol. Loving did the same. And yes, both men opened fire. They both repeatedly fired their weapons from across a table at each other. When the shooting stopped, Richardson got off five rounds, and Loving fired six. 

Levi Richardson was on the floor, hit in the chest, the side of his stomach, and in one of his arms. Richardson was as dead as George Armstrong Custer. On the other hand, Frank Loving was luckily only hit when one of Richardson's rounds grazed his left hand.

Let's keep in mind that shootouts in saloons were pretty rare in the Old West. In most of the incidents, when such a thing did happen, it wasn't unusual for bystanders to be hit due to shooters shooting trying to get off rounds. In the Loving and Richardson shootout, it was surprising that no one else in the saloon was hit. When Dodge City's city marshal Charlie Bassett arrived after hearing the shots, he arrested Loving until things could be sorted out by a coroner's inquest. 

Loving was arrested, booked, and held while a coroner's inquest convened. After witnesses were called and the medical examiner examined the body, on April 7, 1879, a coroner's inquest ruled the shooting was "self-defense." Loving was released without charges. 

It is said that newspapers labeled the shootout "The Long Branch Saloon Gunfight." Of course, Dodge City's newspaper The Globe wrote: "It seemed strange that Loving was not hit, except for a slight scratch on the hand, as the two men were so close together that their pistols almost touched each other." 

According to Old West lore, right after the gunfight, Frank Loving left his wife Mattie and their two children for unknown reasons. But really, who knows if that's accurate or not since I haven't been able to find a marriage record or birth records. Of course, we do know that by 1880, Loving is known to have moved on to Las Vegas, New Mexico, where he gambled for a few months before moving on to Trinidad, Colorado. It was there in Trinidad, Colorado, that he would be in a gunfight with a dealer by the name of John Allen who had known Loving in Dodge City.

On April 15, 1882, Frank Loving and John Allen got into an argument. Some say it was over a loan, while others say it was over Allen's lack of skill as a dealer. What's interesting about their argument is that it was in the middle of Main Street. And while there are those reports that say that both men drew pistols when their argument erupted, such a thing was not mentioned in the local papers. As for the tale that says mutual friends quickly intervened and stopped things from getting out of hand, who knows if that's true. 

The next morning, Loving obviously had not let things pass. Loving walked into the Imperial Saloon with a pistol in his hand and headed straight for Allen, who was working there. Allen seeing Loving coming at him quickly drew his own pistol and shot at Loving  -- but missed. With that, Loving returned fire back at Allen but also missed. 

As with any time shots are fired, people start scrambling for the door. And as is the case, confusion ensues. In this case, the confusion worked against Loving as his gun was knocked from his hand by someone hurrying past him. 

While Loving was trying to find his pistol, Allen used a patron as a shield and repeatedly fired at Loving. It's said that Allen fired two shots at Loving while he was searching for his revolver. Imagine that for a moment. Allen fired two rounds at Loving when he was unarmed and trying to find his dropped pistol. Of course, all of Allen's shots missed their mark. 

When Loving finally found his pistol, he emptied it shooting at Allen as Allen ran out the saloon's rear door. All of Loving's shots missed Allen as he ran out the door and into an alley behind the saloon. Into the alley behind the saloon. Allen, who immediately took refuge a few doors down in Hammond's Hardware Store. Loving searched the alley for Allen but was unable to find him.

Trinidad Deputy City Marshal James Masterson knew Loving in Dodge City. James Masterson heard the shooting and responded as quickly as possible. When he arrived, he found Loving searching for Allen. Masterson disarmed him before setting out to look for Allen. While Masterson was looking for Allen, Frank Loving with two revolvers and again looking for Allen.

Most don't think about ammunition when thinking about gunfights, especially rolling gun battles that drag out for a while. Frank Loving thought about it and entered a hardware store to buy ammunition. It was there that John Allen crept up on Frank Loving from behind and ambushed him. Allen shot Loving from behind. 

It's said James Masterson heard the shot, and so did local City Marshal Lou Kreeger. They entered the hardware store and found Frank Loving shot and bleeding. It's said that when Loving saw Masterson, he stated, "Jim, I'm shot." 

Masterson and Kreeger arrested Allen after finding him still hiding in the back of the store. Though Frank Loving was treated, he died five days later, on April 21, 1882.

John Allen was tried for the murder of Frank Loving in September 1882. Allen argued that he acted in self-defense. He said that he feared for his life. He said that he knew Frank Loving had a notorious reputation and didn't want to be killed. Yes, this is where killing a man with a reputation has helped many a murderer. And because Frank Loving was seen as a dangerous man, John Allen was acquitted.

Frank Loving was either 21 or 22 years old when he was killed. That's very young to be killed. He was a gambler and gunman and was involved in two of the most well-publicized gunfights back in the day. Being well-publicized helps when it comes to chronicling what took place. 

Old West myths speak of several gunfights, that we know never took place. The problem with some of those supposed shootouts is that they are just hearsay and really took on a life of their own as the story was being circulated -- even though they never happened. 

One of the ways to determine if an event was just a tale versus it really taking place is to see if whether or not they were chronicled in the local newspapers. Town newspapers would have certainly reported a shooting if it did happen. The number one reason for that is the fact that shootings in the Old West did not happen every day, and they made sensational news when they did. Both of the shootouts that Frank Loving took part in were very well known because they were well reported. 

As for John Allen, he was acquitted mostly because the jurors believed that Allen would have certainly been killed if Frank Loving found him. And while the shootout became known as the Trinidad Gunfight, John Allen was not a gunfighter. Some say Allen only started carrying a gun after Loving threatened him. In fact, to anyone's knowledge, that was the only time he was ever in a life and death situation that called for his protecting his life against someone armed and seeking to kill him. 

If he was indeed frightened of Loving, the opportunity presented itself to Allen to save himself -- and he did. It's said that John Allen stopped working in gambling halls and saloons dealing cards after that. It's said he actually returned to Dodge City, where he took up a different occupation. It's said that John Allen became a preacher.

Tom Correa

No Amendment To The Constitution Is Absolute To Dictators

The most frightening statement ever made by a sitting American President in the history of the United States was made by Joe Biden when he said, "No Amendment to the Constitution is absolute."

But, before we get into what Biden is doing, let's take a minute or two to talk about America and my getting a bit of hate mail that I really want to address here. Don't worry. I will tie it in with what Biden is doing in a few moments. 

Over the years, I've gotten a lot of hate mail. And, while I haven't let them get to me, there are those times when someone comes up with something that you know you just can't let slide. 

As most of you know, I'm just a writer. I'm a Conservative, a blogger, a Veteran, an old Marine who volunteers a lot of my time to make my small community a better place. I'm just a man who takes care of a few horses who would have otherwise been put down. I'm just a man who loves America, most of my fellow Americans, certainly not all of them, and sees the world in a lot more ways than simply as black and white -- thanks to great parents and grandparents and other mentors. 

I was brought up to appreciate our nation's fundamental principles and values, including equality, the rule of law, limited government, and the greatness of representative democracy. I was taught to appreciate why our "Founding Principles," sometimes referred to as "America's First Principles," are the foundation of our great nation. 

Among those principles is that we have Rights that come from God, not the government. While the government might make laws governing civil behavior, our Rights come from God. That's a big difference which seems to be forgotten these days. Of course, where's the shock in that since we have a government these days that really sees itself as being God-like. 

As for being forgetful, there's a lot that many of us have forgotten these days. For example, in America, as Americans, we all have the right to be happy and kind, sad, mean, and miserable, a Christian, Jewish, an Atheist, a Conservative, a Liberal, narrow-minded, completely understanding, charitable, and miserly. Yes, we have the right to be all of that in the exact same way that we have the right to be bigots, racists, prejudice, homophobic, xenophobic, or anything else that others might not like. 

It's the luxury that we have of living in a free society. We can be who we want to be. And more so, as Americans, we can be who we want to be without needing the approval of others. You can dislike who you want to dislike. You can love who you want to love. You can despise the political policies of your choice. You can despise the Mainstream Media if you want. You can even hate people for whatever reason that you come up with. If you believe that character matters and not skin color, or that thugs and criminals should be dealt with as harshly as possible, that's your Right.  

No, you do not have to be understanding of jerks and jackasses. You do not have to be understanding of people who commit horrendous crimes just because they are a certain color. And while we are on that subject, you have the right to accept the fact that color is not a race. 

As for other political correctness today, as a free American, you don't have to pretend that a man is a woman when you know full well that they are not what they pretend to be. And really, the government cannot force you to pretend that some gay man is a woman. The government can't because we all have the right to think for ourselves. Yes, you have that right. It's really okay to think for yourself.

Because we're Americans, we don't need anyone's approval to think and feel the way we chose because we have the right to think for ourselves. Even if our opinions are what some may consider offensive to someone's sensitivities and "politically incorrect," we are free to have them. No one can tell you how to think. 

And here's something more, in case you have not been reminded lately, allow me to remind you that whether some people like it or not, the government has absolutely no say in how we view life. It's true. The cold hard fact of life is that no matter how much it makes some on the Left crazy, the government cannot make demands on us other than for us to observe the law. Believe it or not, if you don't have a job, the government can't even force you to pay taxes. So yes, the only thing the government can do is to demand that we be law-abiding citizens. 

The government cannot tell us how to think and feel or act other than demanding that we obey the law. I know that I keep repeating that, but it's essential to remember. Please understand what that means. The government cannot tell you to shut up and conform to its demands to act and think in ways contrary to how you feel about things. No, this is not Nazi Germany of the 1930s. At least, not yet. 

As for political power, we have a "Social Contract" with the government. Our contract with the government states that the will of the governed, we steer our government. This means the American people are boss, not politicians. Somehow we forget to remind them of that fact, and they think the opposite is true. To me, when they start thinking that they are our boss, that's when they need to be shown the door and kicked out of government.

And yes, we have a limited representative republic for a reason. Simply put, historically, Americans distrust a direct democracy because that means "Mob Rule." To protect us against "Mob Rule" and government oppression, our Founders believed that the government's power should be divided with a system of checks. That system of checks is built into the system to ensure that no one branch of government gets so strong that it becomes tyrannical. 

After all of the current events, some wonder if our system of checks is failing. Why? It's because the Presidency is now looking more like a dictatorship issuing edicts than that of a branch of government working to enact legislation for the good of the American people. 

Our Constitution is designed to limit the government's powers, not control the people. Our Constitution limits the power to the government and is only changed through the Amendment process. We should all understand that no sitting President can alter an Amendment of the Constitution. 

Recently, a Leftist jerk who read my article A True American Western Icon - Ward Bond took the time to write just to tell me that Western actor Ward Bond was "a grotesque fascist piece of shit," and then went on to say, "sounds like you are too." 

The jerk apparently took offense to the fact that actor Ward Bond was "a dyed-in-the-wool social and political Conservative, a perfect expression of the American West," as one writer described him. In that article, I state how I believe Ward Bond played many facets of himself when playing a First Sgt, a Cop, and more. I also said that he was "his own man."

  

So, knowing that, let's make a couple of things clear. First, I was surprised that the jerk knew how to spell "fascist" since he obviously doesn't know what the term means. He's probably some Leftist who really doesn't know that a fascist is defined as "a person who believes in or sympathizes with fascism." 

He probably also doesn't know that "fascism" is defined as "a governmental system led by a dictator having complete power, forcibly suppressing opposition and criticism." 

Think about that. While that jerk called "Conservatives" like actor Ward Bond and myself "fascists," that fool is probably too stupid to notice that the definition of fascism describes Joe Biden in the White House at this very moment in history. 

Fascism is what the Biden/Harris Administration and the Democrat Party are today. While the jerk who wrote me is attacking Conservatives, even a dead Conservative actor like Ward Bond and a blogger like me, he is knowingly supporting a fascist regime in the White House at this very moment. 

Joe Biden's recent comment that "No Amendment to the Constitution is absolute" is something we should all be worried about. That is an incredible statement coming from a U.S. president. And make no mistake about it, the most frightening statement ever made by a sitting President in the history of the United States was made by Joe Biden when he said, "No Amendment to the Constitution is absolute." 

Joe Biden has signed more than 50 Executive Actions. These are edicts to make laws and bypass the legislative process. He is making changes to laws and now wants to make changes to the Amendments of the Constitution. You think that I'm overreacting? Think again! 

On April 8, 2021, Joe Biden said, "No amendment to the Constitution is absolute." While he was talking about the 2nd Amendment, his statement should be taken as a warning to all of us about who the real fascist is at this time. But more than that, his statement should be taken as a threat to our nation and our Constitution as a whole.  

Think of this, since Congress is applauding him and the Supreme Court is too impotent to act, who stops him if Biden decides that other Amendments can be tampered with? What's at stake if Biden decides that the 1st Amendment is no longer absolute and decides to issue Executive Actions as laws regarding religion or prohibiting the freedom of speech, or limiting the press's rights?

What if Biden issues an Executive Order violating the 4th Amendment and creates a society where we have searches without Warrants? How about his issuing an Executive Order to scrape the 5th Amendment and get rid of protections against self-incrimination? How would the Left feel if Biden issues an Executive Order to abolish the 10th Amendment to restrict the States from having any rights? 

If, as Joe Biden said, "No Amendment of the Constitution is absolute," shouldn't we be concerned that he will issue an Executive Order to abolish the 13th Amendment and reinstitute slavery? Will Biden see the 14th Amendment as unnecessary and remove our rights to due process of law and equal protection of the laws? How about if he decides to abolish the voting laws as set by the 15th Amendment? Will he issue an Executive Order to do away with the 21st Amendment that gives women the right to vote?

Where does it end when a President is allowed to tinker with the Amendments of the United States Constitution because he feels that "No amendment to the Constitution is absolute"? 

As for those of you who just read this and said, "That will never happen." Ask yourself when was the last time you heard a President say that "No amendment to the Constitution is absolute"? When was the last time that an American President decided to openly attack the Bill of Rights with the support of Democrats in Congress? When was the last time the Left had such an opportunity to dismantle our system and create a Socialist/Communist government with a totalitarian oligarchy in charge? 

While such a belief as "no Amendment to the Constitution is absolute" is that of this White House and the Democrat Party, those Amendments are what I believe we will end up going to war over. And no, it is not hard to see how a real "armed rebellion" may take place specifically to reestablish our Rights from an oppressive federal government. 

No, it's not hard to believe that such a thing may occur in our future -- especially if Biden and others on the Left see the path to their achieving their dream of an America ruled by a totalitarian oligarchy being accomplished by abolishing our Constitutional Rights. Remember, they have proven themselves to be a ruthless bunch who have zero loyalty to the American people. 

The federal government ruling instead of governing is something that we should be frightened of. Power in the hands of some can be used wisely and for great good. Power in the hands of others means destruction and the elimination of our freedoms. We are seeing the latter in action today.

Tom Correa

What's Cowboy Coffee?

A reader wrote to ask, "What makes cowboy coffee different from my non-fat latte?" My first reaction was, seriously? Really? 

Another reader, who said, "I am a man. And I want to know if cowboy coffee would give me the same energy as a Double Chocolaty Chip Crème Frappuccino or a cup of coffee using my Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Chelelektu from Starbucks?" Again, really?

Since I have never been to Starbucks, and I like coffee, let's talk about cowboy coffee. After I describe cowboy coffee to you, you tell me if it sounds like anything you get at that bastion of Leftist Political Correctness known as Starbucks? 

First, what is cowboy coffee? Simply put, it was coffee made on the cattle drives long of the 1800s long before coffee makers were ever invented. It is coffee that is brewed with unfiltered coarse grounds. It is brought to a boil and left there for the better part of the day. It is made in a metal coffee pot preferably over a campfire or on a camp stove. 

Get the pot. Add water. Dump in a fist full of coffee grounds. Set the pot on a fire. Let boil. Let it boil. Don't touch it and let it boil for a while. After it looks dark and sort of angry enough to eat a hole in your leather chaps, let it settle. 

Once it stops acting up, pour it into a cup while trying to get as little of the coffee grounds as possible into your cup. As little as possible is the key phrase here. Those ground are valuable because they can be brewed over and over again for a day or two depending on how weak you like your coffee. 

Cowboy coffee is unfiltered coffee that has been brewing all day, or longer, for the most part. Some say it can be a bit bitter. Since the old-timers of days gone by didn't have eggs on the trail, don't think you're being some sort of movie cowboy cook and adding eggshells to it to take out the bitterness. The fact is that eggshells do not take the bitterness out of cowboy coffee. That's just a myth started by people in Seattle who think everyone should know how to speak Italian in order to buy a cup of coffee. 

As for the grounds? While some cowboys like to chew their coffee, some say just let the pot settle and you'll be fine. And while some say cowboy coffee is too acidic, they are obviously the people who want us to stop eating meat and start eating veggie burgers. Don't listen to them. They have way too much estrogen.

Okay, here's something to watch for. There are some people who see nothing wrong with relying on other nations for oil needs and really believe that the hoax called "Climate Change" is going to wipe us all out in nine years. Those folks may take off a sock, and not a clean sock, because they believe everything they hear on CNN and MSNBC, and will attempt to filter out the grounds as they pour a cup of what they call "Cowboy Coffee." That sort of stuff goes on in the Democrat Party where Communism and slavery are worshiped, but that should never happen among freedom-loving Americans.

Friends, cowboy coffee is the belly-wash that will make you put your mare away wet and worn out. It is not for folks in San Francisco or Portland or Los Angeles or even Austin. It's certainly not for the faint of heart in places like Minneapolis where people allowed their city to be burned to the ground by a bunch of Leftists who have never held jobs.

Real men drinking cowboy coffee on the cattle drives is how thousands upon thousands of head of cattle were pushed through some of the worse elements there was to feed a hungry nation. Men and women drinking cowboy coffee came West, build homesteads, remembered the Alamo, struck gold in all sorts of places, walked the dusty streets of places like Palisades, Nevada, freed the slaves, won the West, turned the Great American Desert into America's Bread Basket, built dams, created power grids, built power plants, and poured all sort of tonnage of cement to create our interstate highway system. 

Friends, this is the sort of coffee that George S. Patton used to fuel his tanks. This is the "Joe" that won two World Wars and will defeat Communist China! It's not the Senile Old "Joe" who is owned by China and is sharing the White House with the laughing girl who is one something other than coffee.

This is coffee to make your day better. Cowboy coffee makes Americans stand up and salute our glorious American flag, kick butt, take names, and tell the world that we won't lie down when it comes to fighting for our freedom. That's what cowboy coffee is all about. 

Cowboy coffee is like a roto-rotor for your bloodstream. It's the sort of gun oil that keeps your pump pumping. It's what you drink in the mountains after filling your stringer with trout. It's what you use to wash down half a dozen eggs and five pounds of bacon for breakfast. 

It's a safe bet that President Trump drinks cowboy coffee since he's still putting the interest of America before the interest of other countries. It's also a safe bet that Biden is a decaf green tea drinker who is hoping that the estrogen in green tea makes him the tough guy that he wishes he is.  

And by the way, while there might be those insecure souls out there who grow beards to show people that they too can look like men --  if you see one using his socks to filter his coffee, don't let him do it. Tell him to strain the grounds through a handkecheif. Or better yet, have them use their face mask as a strainer. It's almost a sure bet that they are wearing one. Although, people who drink cowboy coffee aren't the type to bow down to the crowd and wear face masks.  

Tom Correa