[Vision2020] Utah Adopts Official State Firearm

[Robert Dickow]

Late Breaking News: Utah Changes Official State Bird. (Roiters)

State officials in Salt Lake City today confirmed that a bill to declare the
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) the state bird of Utah has unanimously
passed both the state House of Representatives and the Senate in a lame duck
session. The state bird was formerly the California Gull, taken up to honor
the species as the savior of Utah pioneers. Legend has it that the gulls
miraculously arrived at the height of a devastating locust invasion and
devoured the marauding insects. But, the sentiment now is that another avian
species has become more worthy of the honored position of official state
bird. The reason, say's Congressman Hank Bonkers (16th district), is that
the vulture has been indispensable to maintaining public health in the
state. "Hell, yes, those vultures have been great at clearing out all those
gunshot victims' carcasses that we just don't have the budget or staffers to
handle any more." Pro-gull activists claim that the rise of the
semiautomatic pistol has had a devastating toll on the citizenry, but that
this is not a good reason to replace the state bird. "Sure, I've heard some
complaints," says Congressman Bonkers. "But who cares about some carrion
here and there when we've got all them vultures around?"

Bob Dickow, troublemaker  

-----Original Message-----
From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]
On Behalf Of Tom Hansen
Sent: Thursday, January 27, 2011 5:32 PM
To: Moscow Vision 2020
Subject: [Vision2020] Utah Adopts Official State Firearm

Courtesy of NPR at:

http://www.npr.org/2011/01/27/133280682/Plans-For-Utah-State-Gun-Spark-Outra
ge

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The First Official State Firearm? Utah Aims At A Pistol
by Howard Berkes

A Browning M1911 semiautomatic pistol may soon join the sego lily, Rocky
Mountain elk and sugar beet as official symbols of the state of Utah.

The State Senate is considering a measure passed by the House of
Representatives on Wednesday that would declare the .45-caliber handgun
the official state firearm - the first in the country.

"This firearm was created by John Moses Browning, who was a son of Utah
pioneers," said Republican Rep. Carl Wimmer of Herriman, Utah, during
debate on the House floor. "This firearm really has defended liberty
and...<snip>