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06-08-2002, 01:18 AM

Jag - I think we all agree that it's more difficult to get a gun if they're banned. The problem is that the select few criminals who do get them will use them for intimidation and crime - not necessarily killing, but to, say, force a woman to submit to a rape, or to hand over the keys to the car, etc.

Let's just all agree that, because Maggie carries, she's not getting raped and her vehicle isn't getting carjacked.

Guns are pretty fucking terrible - no doubt about it. Any instrument whose purpose is to take life is not a good thing. The problem is that by denying firearms for protection purposes, one collectively lowers the safety level of a society.

You can probably walk around and not worry about getting shot, and that's certainly a valuable freedom to have. But... suppose you and your girly are walking around and some fuckholes come up and take her and your wallet and just like that, she's a rape victim and you're a few hundred dollars poorer. Maybe that kind of stuff doesn't happen in Australia, and if that's the case, that's great. But it does happen here - Baltimore, Washington, Dallas... Christ, that's why Texas has so many goddamn executions.

Taking away the guns is attacking the <b>symptom</b>, not the problem. Truth be told, we need to spend more money on education and getting people out of the slums - not giving them a hand out, but a hand up. An educated young man with a lot to lose is less likely to murder someone on the streets than a 17 year old crack addict who can't read.

All these politicians talk a real good talk - "let's ban guns" and "guns kill people" and "there's no reason to own a gun" - yet their bodyguards carry. Rosie O'Donnel, organizer of the million mom march, outspoken on gun control... and her body guard is registered to carry a firearm. Why? Why is she more important than me? Bill Clinton and his cronies argue for gun control... what, are the Secret Service carrying butter knives to protect POTUS?

Imagine how different the world might be if the passengers on 175, 77, 11 and 93 had guns. Hijackers wouldn't have stood a chance.

Imagine how less likely someone would be to break into a house or mug a person on the street if the population was 99% armed and <b>they knew that</b>.

We can't un-do the gun, and it's a damn shame. So we have to live with it. Unfortunately, the only way one can protect oneself against a gun is by having a gun. I wish there were some other way, but there just isn't.

06-08-2002, 01:18 AM	#49
dave Guest Posts: n/a	Jag - I think we all agree that it's more difficult to get a gun if they're banned. The problem is that the select few criminals who do get them will use them for intimidation and crime - not necessarily killing, but to, say, force a woman to submit to a rape, or to hand over the keys to the car, etc. Let's just all agree that, because Maggie carries, she's not getting raped and her vehicle isn't getting carjacked. Guns are pretty fucking terrible - no doubt about it. Any instrument whose purpose is to take life is not a good thing. The problem is that by denying firearms for protection purposes, one collectively lowers the safety level of a society. You can probably walk around and not worry about getting shot, and that's certainly a valuable freedom to have. But... suppose you and your girly are walking around and some fuckholes come up and take her and your wallet and just like that, she's a rape victim and you're a few hundred dollars poorer. Maybe that kind of stuff doesn't happen in Australia, and if that's the case, that's great. But it does happen here - Baltimore, Washington, Dallas... Christ, that's why Texas has so many goddamn executions. Taking away the guns is attacking the <b>symptom</b>, not the problem. Truth be told, we need to spend more money on education and getting people out of the slums - not giving them a hand out, but a hand up. An educated young man with a lot to lose is less likely to murder someone on the streets than a 17 year old crack addict who can't read. All these politicians talk a real good talk - "let's ban guns" and "guns kill people" and "there's no reason to own a gun" - yet their bodyguards carry. Rosie O'Donnel, organizer of the million mom march, outspoken on gun control... and her body guard is registered to carry a firearm. Why? Why is she more important than me? Bill Clinton and his cronies argue for gun control... what, are the Secret Service carrying butter knives to protect POTUS? Imagine how different the world might be if the passengers on 175, 77, 11 and 93 had guns. Hijackers wouldn't have stood a chance. Imagine how less likely someone would be to break into a house or mug a person on the street if the population was 99% armed and <b>they knew that</b>. We can't un-do the gun, and it's a damn shame. So we have to live with it. Unfortunately, the only way one can protect oneself against a gun is by having a gun. I wish there were some other way, but there just isn't.