Welcome back to another installment of the Watercooler, RedState’s daily Open Thread! Today, we’ve got…

The Pilot and the Minister

In reply to earhartam’s “Pastor Scrooge” story yesterday, I thought I’d pass along this humorous little bit from an old gun-board buddy.

A minister dies and is waiting in line at the Pearly Gates. Ahead of him is a guy who’s dressed in sunglasses, a loud shirt, leather jacket, and jeans.

Saint Peter addresses this guy, “Who are you, so that I may know whether or not to admit you to the Kingdom of Heaven?” The guy replies, “I’m Joey Shasta, retired pilot, of Pittsburgh, PA.”

Saint Peter consults his list. He smiles and says to the pilot, “Take this silken robe and golden staff and enter the Kingdom.”

The pilot goes into Heaven with his robe and staff.

Next it’s the minister’s turn. He stands erect and booms out, “I am Joseph Snow, pastor of Saint Mary’s for the last 43 years.” Saint Peter consults his list. He says to the minister, “Take this cotton robe and wooden staff and enter the Kingdom.”

“Just a minute,” says the minister. “That man was a pilot and he gets a silken robe and golden staff. How can this be?”

“Up here, we work by results,” says Saint Peter. “While you preached, people slept; while he flew, people prayed.”

A Chance to Strike Back at Renegade Sanctuary-City Politicians?

As we all know, there’s been an epidemic of left-wing politicians using the full legal weight of their offices to harbor criminals and terrorists–and Todd Rokita has just introduced a bill to counter that. H.R. 4526, the SLAP (Stopping Lawless Actions of Politicians) Act would make failure of a State/Local official to honor a Federal detainer request on an illegal alien a Federal felony subject to a five-year prison term.

To which I say, “Lock ’em up!” Please contact your legislators and encourage them to give Congressman Rokita some co-sponsorship support; he’s out there alone on this one and I know none of my Congressvermin will do anything but oppose tooth and nail. Read the bill for yourself at https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/4526/text –it’s refreshingly short and straightforward, in terms even a mental-midget Democrat should be able to understand.

This Week In History

• Sunday, 12/3: Jefferson/Burr tie in Electoral College, 1800; Illinois statehood, 1818; Laurel and Hardy’s film debut, 1927; Pioneer 10 transmits first close-ups of Jupiter, 1973
• Monday, 12/4: Marquette mission (forerunner of Chicago) established, 1674; Grange founded, 1867; Los Angeles Times first published, 1881; first Burger King opens, 1954
• Tuesday, 12/5: Knox begins transport of Ft. Ticonderoga artillery, 1775; Polk confirms California gold, 1848; 21st Amendment ratified, 1933; Flight 19 vanishes, 1945
• Wednesday, 12/6: 13th Amendment abolishes slavery, 1865; Washington Monument completed, 1884; Roosevelt Corollary to Monroe Doctrine announced, 1904
• Thursday, 12/7: Delaware first to ratify Constitution, 1787; Jesse James’s first robbery, 1869; “Day of Infamy,” 1941; final Moon mission, Apollo 17, launched, 1972
• Friday, 12/8: Brookings think-tank founded, 1927; Ike’s “Atoms For Peace,” 1953; New York newspaper strike begins, 1962; INF treaty signed, 1987
• Saturday, 12/9: Webster establishes first NY daily newspaper, 1793; Texians take San Antonio, 1835; MacArthur’s B-17s attack Japanese invasion fleet off Luzon, 1941

Today’s Birthdays: Confederate raider John S. Mosby, 1833; actor William S. Hart, 1872; automaker Fred Duesenberg, 1876; ice-cream magnate Irv Robbins, 1917

Holidays Around the World: It’s Independence Day in Finland, Constitution Day in Spain and Armed Forces Day in Ukraine.

This Week In History is compiled with assistance from History.com and Wikipedia. Something interesting not listed here? Please share in the Comments section–this is an Audience Participation Encouraged featurette.

Gratuitous Gun Giveaways

• *American Handgunner magazine, for an SCCY CPX-3 .380ACP or Glock 19 Gen 5 9mm pistol package: http://americanhandgunner.com/giveaway/
• *Guns Magazine, for a Devil Dog Arms RIS-15 AR-pattern rifle, Canik TP9 SFx 9mm, CZ-USA P-10C 9mm, or Auto-Ordnance 1911BKOW WWII-style .45 pistol package: http://gunsmagazine.com/giveaway/
• Davidson’s Gallery of Guns, for a Colt Competition Government fullsize or Defender compact 1911-pattern .45 pistol: https://ggg.galleryofguns.com/
• GrabAGun, for a Henry Golden Boy .357 Magnum lever-action rifle: http://grabagun.com/giveaway
• Springfield Armory, for assorted XD and 1911 pistols and SAINT 5.56mm AR15 pistols and rifles: http://www.springfield-armory.com/resources/giveaways/

*Note: FMG Publishing giveaways require you to provide an FFL dealer’s info at entry.

Quote of the Day

Truth is the only safe ground to stand upon.–Elizabeth Cady Stanton

As always, the Watercooler is an Open Thread. And as so eloquently coined by ntrepid, “Thanks for the click! Your effort helps fund future posts of this nature.”

“It is dangerous to be right in matters on which the established authorities are wrong.”–Voltaire

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