[Oblivion437]

Originally posted by johnny: Shows how much you know about Europe, which is absolutely totally zippededooda. And for the last time, quit refering to Europeans as if it's one race, nothing is more insulting than that.

Hey Jack-ass, did I start this identity politics bullshit? No sir...You'll recall it was someone who made such condescending dispositions about American policies, that we needed to be 'taught better' by 'Europeans.'

Theye employed that Generalization, not I...I merely turned it on its head by demonstrating that while some random group be they "Europeans" Union or not, the "we" that JF Kerry referred to, or some random gawker who decided that post-modernism was cool, if you're going to teach us, could you at least please kindly learn from your own mistakes regarding oppressive government before telling us how to solve ours? In case you didn't notice, we've just been through 4 administrations, 24 years in total, of runaway, irresponsible, and downright illegal expansionistic government. I say it's time for some damn change, violent if necessary, hopefully not. I've seen nothing that outright says, black & white, that violent revolution is absolutely necessary to correct the wrongs in our system.

I do dearly apologize for getting royally pissed at condescensions, even if they're directed at me, my people or my nation. Normally I just brush it off as random arrogance, stuffed-shirt anti-realism, or plain stupidity. But this had the pretense of some genuine humanity to it, which was pretty much self-destructed.

I apologize, I don't like being shat upon, if pride offends you, ban me. I really don't care.

Originally posted by Aerich: I feel a lot safer knowing that the average joe hothead isn't walking around (or driving around!) with a gun. That outweighs any concerns I might have re: muggers or burglars. That's not to say I give up any rights to my personal safety or security: I have a home alarm, am near-paranoid about awareness, and have significant training in martial arts. With all of that, I'd prefer to keep the guns out of general society.

However, and every reliable statistic gathered can prove this: Neither violent crimes, nor the proliferation of firearms in the hands of violent individuals willing to use them irresponsibly can positively correlate to gun control. If we were safer under such circumstances (highly debatable, supposing the gun were never invented along with every technological advance owed to it, I'd hate to think about the power vaccuum that would exist, and what, perhaps Vassal-like force that arise to fill it, as war would still persist, but the only ones able to engage in it would be those able to dedicate their lives to the business of warfare, they'd hold considerable power...Not to mention that stabbings seem to be more lethal, or under the circumstances are performed in such a fashion as to ensure a greater percentage of deaths per attack as compared to shooting victims) there would be some point of data showing it. The complete, or near-complete statistical disparity on these two points seems to indicate no positive or negative correlation.

Some people will, and have, argued that makes us more vulnerable to criminals who have guns when we don't. Possibly. However, criminals are more likely to shoot if they are being shot at, so you may be more likely to be shot if you have a gun. I'll take my chances barehanded. Even if I do get robbed, so what? I'll still have my life and health, and I don't carry much cash anyway.

For the US at least, that's totally untrue. You stand a considerably greater risk in complicity than you do in violent, armed resistance. Also, criminals have stated (just ask John Stossel) that they don't fear other criminals or the cops as much as armed citizens, who are actually more dangerous to them than other gangsters. Chances are they'll run or surrender to your (obviously superior) position. Criminals are inherently lazy, cowardly and downright stupid people. That's why they're criminals. Just ask Henry Hill, who knew more of the toughest crooks than you'd ever have a chance of meeting if you'd hung out in Robert's Lounge every day from 1970-1980.

Note that I consider domestic gun control and international military issues to be two separate things. My views on gun control do not extend into the field of security of the State.

Is depending on *someone else* a good idea, especially when it comes to personal safety? Suppose you lived in say...The Germanic empire, when say...The Huns come rolling across the border...You don't want to be the shmuck who waited for the Roman Army, believe me...

Granted that was a different time, when national borders, nations themselves and a hell of a lot else didn't exist, when the most civilized cluster of individuals on the planet was also the most barbaric, yadda yadda yadda. This is neither the time nor the place for a debate of Iron Age history, the movement of the Huns, or why Alleric the Goth should go down as a heroic figure.