a well regulated militia

[LordSludge]

Originally posted by Undertoad
Yes, that's it! - in the hands of the bad guys, a gun is a horrid tool of great danger, terror, death etc. In the hands of the good guys, a gun is a tool for marvelous good, preventing danger and terror etc.

Let's play word substitution: "in the hands of the bad guys, a [thermonuclear device] is a horrid tool of great danger, terror, death etc. In the hands of the good guys, a [thermonuclear device] is a tool for marvelous good, preventing danger and terror etc."

Argh, I hate that argument, cuz it's so irrelevant -- EVERYTHING is a tool, with no inherent goodness or badness. A hammer is a tool. A rock is a tool. Cocaine is a tool. A torture device is a tool. A strap-on dildo is a tool. Some tools are good for pounding nails; some tools are good for killing people. What's yer point?

And ya know, it's true -- nukes are tools too -- but Joe American really does not need to have a nuke in his basement. Bad Idea. It's a question of HOW MUCH POWER Joe American should have before it endangers others. Not a question of whether guns are "bad", per se, but a question of whether guns in the hands of avg. Americans are bad.

As an aside, not really relevant to the arms rights discussion, but indicative of my feelings on the matter:

Guns just require too little effort, IMO. Maybe that's what pisses me off about 'em. Any schmoe can get $99 pawn shop special and cap me in the back of the head for the change I'm carrying. Doesn't matter how much heat I'm packing -- pull that trigger finger 1/2" when I'm not looking, I die. Too easy. Maybe it pisses me off cuz I'm a fairly big guy, which is a GREAT deterrant for fist fights, but means nothing vs a gun. If you're gonna kill me, I at least want to make you work for it. It takes a lot more rage and sweat to beat someone to death than *POP*; hence it's less likely to happen, as people are fundamentally lazy.

Ideally, my killer would be a 5th degree black-belt. You know, train his whole life for it. At least he would have earned it...

headsplice: Check my profile -- I'm an American, at least I *think* South Carolina still qualifies...