Going Off "Half Cocked."

You may have witnessed some or all of the recent ABC-TV interview of Alec Baldwin.

If so, you have my condolences.

By the carefully-staged music and soft lighting and dramatic camera angles, I'm guessing this interview  by ABC-TV's Stuffleawfulness, was intended to "rehabilitate" Baldwin's reputation.  Which has taken a rather major hit of late.  

Why?  If you hadn't heard, if you've been living under that proverbial dumpster behind the local Wal-Mart, he shot and killed his little movie's cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, on a movie set.  While playing with a firearm.  Which we all should know not to do.  

Not to do, ever.  

So far as we now know, these are the facts:  

The firearm was not a "prop" gun, as some have reported.  It was a real, "knock-off" copy of a Colt 1873, Single-Action Army model, .45 caliber Long Colt "Peacemaker" revolver, manufactured by one of the many Italian firearm reproduction companies (Pieta).  

To make this type of revolver "work" requires its hammer to be fully cocked, and then the trigger pulled.  It will not, let me repeat, IT WILL NOT fire by pulling the hammer back and letting it go, without the benefit of a trigger pull.  All single-action-type revolvers manufactured in America since 1915 must have employed a hammer block or a transfer bar to prevent accidental discharge.  A "feature" of single-action weapons not desired by their owners. 

In fact, that's where the term "going off half-cocked" came from.  Got it? 

We're reminded of just how dangerous these original Colt models really were.  Our buddy Wild Bill Hickock was playing poker in the "One-Eyed Jacks" saloon in Wichita one night back in 1876 when he rocked his chair just a little bit too far back.  His Colt Navy Model fell out of its holster and on to the floor, hammer first.  It went off with a fiery bang, blowing a hole in Bill's coat, narrowly-missing his armpit.  

This is why working cowboys never carried a live round under the hammer.  And this is why our Gummint later legislated the use of hammer bars to prevent this weapon's accident discharge.  And this is why we know for a fact Baldwin's a bald-faced liar.       

So, let's summarize, shall we?  Baldwin's tears won't sway any firearms expert called upon to testify in a trial.  His "clean up on aisle nine" didn't work.  I'm thinking maybe ABC is a production deal with Baldwin and need him out of jail and his reputation dry-cleaned.  In fact, he may have stepped in it with this interview to the tune of opening himself up to criminal charges for contributory negligence or even manslaughter.  Some folks just don't know when to keep their mouths shut...

This Baldwin brother has been calling for a ban on guns for years.  Loudly.  While earning a fat living playing a badass with a gun in the movies.  Unfortunately, a poor woman needlessly died to show the world what a stupid fool this Upper East Side jackass really is.  A free NRA Firearms Safety course would have taught him what every thinking - and responsible - man and woman already knows:

     -  You never point a firearm at something you don't intend to kill.

     -  You never put your finger on the trigger until you're ready to shoot.

     -  You never load your firearm until you're ready to shoot it.

     -  All firearms are to be safely stored and awayu from children when not in use.  

Simple, huh?  Apparently not simple enough for lying Alec Baldwin.  Me thinks he just may have gone off "half cocked..."