FBM wrote:200 million American gun-owners did not shoot anybody today.
I know what you mean, FBM, but that is not the point here. The ready availability of concealeable handguns makes the crazed loner with an agenda a more dangerous proposition than he otherwise would be...
You know that I am a fan of recreational shooting, with an emphasis on rifles; I'm not an anti-gun person.
It is the issue of the availability and sheer numbers of handguns that is the issue.
Arguments that I have heard put forward at various places is that ownership of handguns by honourable citizens makes it hazardous for criminals and crazies. Where was the righteous citizen with a quick draw ready to slay the guman in Arizona?
There isn't a issue with guns here. I think America is well outside the norm with its gun issues. People have given up asking whats going on outside its borders. Just what happens over there.
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FBM wrote:200 million American gun-owners did not shoot anybody today.
I know what you mean, FBM, but that is not the point here. The ready availability of concealeable handguns makes the crazed loner with an agenda a more dangerous proposition than he otherwise would be...
You know that I am a fan of recreational shooting, with an emphasis on rifles; I'm not an anti-gun person.
It is the issue of the availability and sheer numbers of handguns that is the issue.
I'm all for recreational use of firearms, too, obviously, but as long as there are crackpots, there will be abuses, whether with handguns or sporting guns. I recall from the article that this guy has a history of both criminal activity and mental disorders. If he obtained the gun legally, there was a breakdown in the system somewhere. The breakdown should be the focus, IMO.
Arguments that I have heard put forward at various places is that ownership of handguns by honourable citizens makes it hazardous for criminals and crazies. Where was the righteous citizen with a quick draw ready to slay the guman in Arizona?
Too intimidated by anti-gun lawyers to excersise their rights? I can't think of any way to gather data on how many criminals have decided not to do their thing because of the prospect of running into an armed citizen. I'm pretty sure there are some stats floating around on the effects of legal gun ownership on local/regional crime rates, but I'm not rabid enough about the issue to look it up.
"A philosopher is a blind man in a dark room looking for a black cat that isn't there. A theologian is the man who finds it." ~ H. L. Mencken
"We ain't a sharp species. We kill each other over arguments about what happens when you die, then fail to see the fucking irony in that."
"It is useless for the sheep to pass resolutions in favor of vegetarianism while the wolf remains of a different opinion."
Gawd wrote:She's a member of Congress, I show no sympathy.
What if she was trying to get the US to stop funding Israel, or to make any aid conditional upon fair treatment of the Palestinians?
What I've found with a few discussions I've had lately is this self-satisfaction that people express with their proffessed open mindedness. In realty it ammounts to wilful ignorance and intellectual cowardice as they are choosing to not form any sort of opinion on a particular topic. Basically "I don't know and I'm not going to look at any evidence because I'm quite happy on this fence."
-Mr P
The Net is best considered analogous to communication with disincarnate intelligences. As any neophyte would tell you. Do not invoke that which you have no facility to banish.
Audley Strange
By the way, while I was in my 20's, I prevented 2 potentially violent criminals from going about their business with me as the victim. Once I was alone and only protected myself, the other time I was with my legally-blind brother who wouldn't have been able to protect himself even if he'd had a firearm. In both cases, I did everything I could to avoid conflict, but to no avail. I was finally forced to show my .44 cal when it was clear that there was a clear possibility that my life/our lives were in danger. They backed down and buggered off. It works. If it didn't, I might not be alive today.
"A philosopher is a blind man in a dark room looking for a black cat that isn't there. A theologian is the man who finds it." ~ H. L. Mencken
"We ain't a sharp species. We kill each other over arguments about what happens when you die, then fail to see the fucking irony in that."
"It is useless for the sheep to pass resolutions in favor of vegetarianism while the wolf remains of a different opinion."
"The fact is that far more crime and child abuse has been committed by zealots in the name of God, Jesus and Mohammed than has ever been committed in the name of Satan. Many people don't like that statement but few can argue with it."
It's a legal designation to distinguish between those literally unable to see anything at all. Legally blind means he still has some residual vision, but is not considered to be functionally sighted. With very thick glasses, he can get around, but with marked limitations. Without them, he can only detect a little light, maybe shadows.
"A philosopher is a blind man in a dark room looking for a black cat that isn't there. A theologian is the man who finds it." ~ H. L. Mencken
"We ain't a sharp species. We kill each other over arguments about what happens when you die, then fail to see the fucking irony in that."
"It is useless for the sheep to pass resolutions in favor of vegetarianism while the wolf remains of a different opinion."
