[NTLK] OT: Guns don't kill people....

From: RADAR9999_at_aol.com
Date: Wed May 07 2003 - 23:08:04 PDT


OK It's time to open that can of whoop-ass...

    The Right to keep and bear arms is in the constitution. It does not refer
to an organized National Guard as there were none such in any of the states
at that time. There were militias, both organized and at-large. The RKBA is
central to security of a free state as it is the last guarantee that the
people may act to restrain or overthrow a government that becomes insulated,
opressive, and non-responsive of lesser measures.
    The 1st amendment freedoms of speech would be non-existant w/o the
iron-clad gaurantee of the second amendment.
    Some would say that this is outdated, that tyranny could not happen here.
Well Germany, before the 2nd World War, was a poor but industrious state,
with hardworking and law-abiding citizens, until the National Socialist Party
managed to get nearly all civilian-owned firearms registered, and then
confiscated. They were then able to bully the exixsting media into
supporting whatever they wanted. Dissidents were beaten, jailed, exiled,
and/or killed if they failed to heed warnings.

    Another reason to celebrate the existance of the 2nd Amendment is that it
may very well have prevented major hostilities on our own soil. After WW2 a
Japanese officer was asked why they did not invade the West Coast (washington
to california). He answered that they had carefully investigated that
possibility. They had discovered that approximately 1/2 the households in the
US at that time (POP 170,000,000 give or take) had a firearm of some sort and
that many weekend marksmanship competitions were held using military-grade
firearms sold or lent to individuals or clubs, thus providing our military
with a firearm savvy pool of recruits, and our nation with a ready defense
against any foreign interloper. "We were not so stupid as to stick our heads
into that hornets nest" he finished.

    Oh I could go on... and on... and .. you get the picture, but I will be
merciful. I will be happy to entertain any further discussion off-line.

Ed Johnson
radar9999_at_aol.com

In a message dated 5/7/03 12:42:07, newtontalk_at_newtontalk.net writes:

<< Date: Wed, 7 May 2003 12:41:48 -0400
Subject: Re: [NTLK] OT: Guns don't kill people, iPods do (was Whose going to
ha
From: Andrew Shooner <shooner.3_at_osu.edu>

I agree there are reasonable reasons to own guns. I just think in the
US it is WAY to easy to get WAY to many kinds of guns.
I don't care if you're an arms buff, a vietnam vet or what, there's no
good reason to own an assault rifle. Personally I think the same think
with hand guns,
though that point is a bit more tricky. I just think it's worth saving
lives even if it means you get mugged or your house gets robbed. my
basic logic:
Neither party in a conflict has a gun, you might get hurt, 1 party in a
conflict has a gun, you might get hurt, BOTH parties in a conflict have
guns, somebody is going to the hospital, or the morgue.
    I don't think the way to cut down on crime is to arm the nation.
That's like saying we can bring about world peace by giving everyone
smart bombs and abrams tanks. but i do love shooting shotguns...

Andy S

Go Buckeyes! >>

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