4th of July in Anchorage

Got out to the 4th of July parade with the family today to see the sights and taste the food that is Anchorage on our Independence Day.  Turned out to be a bit more interesting of a day than I had initially planned.

I had the good fortune of visiting both the booths of Governor Candidate Rob Parnell and the Alaska Democrat Party.  My first visit and discussion was at the Rob Parnell booth, with his representative there.

I started off by informing him that we were new to the area, and were looking for information on the current candidates.  I asked him Mr. Parnell's stances on concealed carry, gun control, and abortion.

The response: keep it as it us, NO!, and FUCK NO!  He then asked me what I think of the issues, to which I told him I wholeheartedly agree.

Then I headed over to the Alaska Democrat Party shed.

Yes, that is Cezar Chavez they're quoting on the side of their shed.  Go figure.

So, I walk over and begin talking to the southern Anchorage District Chair, Lupa something-or-other, I believe her name was.  She was very nice, and very agreeable, in a bad way.  I started off by asking her what the Alaska Democrat Party's position was on the current Alaska Concealed Carry law.  She stated that she was for it, and the party didn't see any need to change it.  She assured me that she and many democrats were gun-owning sportsmen, and fully supported our rights to keep and bear arms.  I then asked her about open carry within the limits of Anchorage.  At this point her face drew a blank, and I then had to run over ALL the concealed carry laws, and the fact that open carry is not legal within the city limits of Anchorage.  Turns out she was in support of something she had no idea about.  After explaining all this, and what I thought about it, she looked at me, and said "that sounds like a very reasonable position."
I then asked her on what she and the Alaska Democrat Party thought about hunting regulations and the enforcement thereof.  Despite her earlier assurances about being a sportsman she had no idea as to the current methods of attaining harvest and hunting tags/permits, or the differences between "assault weapons" and sporting weapons, other than a scary appearance.  That last should have been a given, with the Democrat Party's past escapades with the 2nd Amendment and the "shoulder thing that goes
up."
Right after this last discussion, my wife showed up with a turkey leg and some fries, and seeing her out, Lupa quickly thanked me for my time, and shook my hand.  But not before I was able to score some sweet bumper stickers!  I can't find the pictures right now, but one said "HATE is NEVER a family value!" and "Republican healthcare plan: Don't get sick!"  Because it's solely for the .gov to help you out when you're sick, right?  FUCK private industry!

A few heroes and pinheads:

The 2nd Amendment support group.  Yeah, that's a Barrett M82A1.  I want it.  Sadly, they felt the need to march in support of 2A because they don't feel adequately represented by these assholes...

The ACLU, we don't hate religion, just Christianity!  Bringing white guilt to you since... whenever.

Yes, those are little kids on boat called "Lady Gay-Gay" in the gay parade.  You see, when conservatives do this, it's "indoctrination," "brain washing," and "teaching hate."  With anything "progressive" it's "open young children's minds."  INTOLERANCE WILL NOT BE TOLERATED!!!

OK, guys we get it.  You're homosexuals.  Is it just me, or does this just seem to be such a double standard?  If I were to get upset at one of these guys, and call them fairies, and tell them to go put on hot pants and dance behind a float on their pride day, I'd be called a bigot, intolerant, and guilty of stereotyping gays.  1) Usually we have stereotypes for a reason.  I'm a stereotypical gun-owning, Catholic, 20-something, white male.  Who gives a fuck?  2)  These aren't gays, these are fags.  Gay people have sex with other gay people of the same sex for fun.  Fags do faggy shit like dance on a float in hot pants/in drag.

The dykes on bikes hauled ass too quickly by for me to snap a picture in time.  They were seriously driving dangerously for a closed parade route.  They had very fine flannel shirts on, and shiny shiny buzz cuts.

People Watching:

This is most unapologetically my favorite activity after shooting, sex, and playing with myself.   Here's a few pictures of interesting people I saw.

First off, we have "East German Camo Jacket Guy."  Not all that weird in an of itself, just the way he went about getting something out of his pocket while attempting to keep some sort of brochure in his back pocket.  Also wearing a jacket in East German camouflage pattern.  WTF?

Next, we have the iPod Hippy.  Just one look at this guy had flashes of Jane's Addiction and Yes! concerts flashing through my head.  Despite his moderately eye-catching dress, his biggest weirdness factor was the way he walked around loudly laughing to himself for no apparent reason in pronounced "HA-HA!  HA-HA!" spurts.  Not quite as weird as the guy we saw on C street yesterday barking at cars.  I really wish I'd gotten a picture of him...

Rosary Wearing Phat Beat Boy.  The he didn't move to the music, he and the music moved TOGETHER.  Unfortunately, I missed an opportunity to photograph him with the rest of his suburban, grain-eating family, as their sheer WASPiness served as an excellent foil to his "don't test my gangsta" attitude.  I think his father needs to Harden the Fuck Up.

Buddy, the Dancing Blood Drop.  In the parade, not not technically a person in and of himself, but still creepy as hell to see a representation of donor blood prancing down the street.  The announcer of the Parade consistently (and predictably) mis-pronounced his name as "Bloody the Blood Drop."

The Bead Sucker Sisters.  Dunno what was up with them, but they were just milling about, with some beads in their mouths.  The blank look on the first one makes me think she's on something, and is a blank slate.  The second one was probably contemplating Twinkies, or wishing the beads were a nice, big turkey leg.