Quote:
Originally posted by Yorick:
I see chants of freedom, which are in reality cries for imprisonment.
Free yourselves. Ban the gun. Allow cameras on highways and in plazas. Restrict the freedoms of those who would harm so those who are innocent may live freely.
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The end result of your idea makes sense, but the freedoms everyone mentions in this thread basically come down to the freedom to make the choice for ourselves.
Throw away the "defend yourself", "it's my right", "if you outlaw guns, only the criminals will have them", or the argument "de jour", and it all comes down to one thing. Americans
want to own guns, and because the overwhelming majority of US want to, the government will never ban them. Never, ever, never.
Your sentiment is, in a way, similar to thoughts about nuclear weapons. I don't think anyone will deny the world would be better off without them, and even though we've seen an increase in the number of nuclear nations, the total number of nukes has been reduced quite dramatically, but they will never be gone because someone will always successfully present the argument that we
need a certain number to protect ourselves. Whether or not it's a valid argument, it
will be a successful argument.
Now those are the "chants of freedom which, in reality, are cries for imprisonment". You know, Yorick, that would be an excellent song lyric
. The "cries of imprisonment" line, really works against your argument as well as for it! To be free from "this", we must submit to "that". That ambiguity is another reason I think it would be a great song lyric. [img]smile.gif[/img]
I only mention the nuclear weapons issue here because it's more "in line" with your argument than the issue of gun control. The majority of Americans who own guns don't fall into the idiotic realm of the few lunatics who receive all the "press". Most are quite sensible. They don't buy guns because they are afraid not to have one, they buy them because they want one.
Personally, I don't own a gun because I sleep-walk and have a small child, both of which are big dangers to gun owners, and I don't think I would own one anyway because I don't need one. I did almost buy a WWII Luger from a former boss for the historical value, but because of the reasons already mentioned, I decided against it.
My parents bought a rifle after their house was broken into while they were away. They didn't buy it to protect their property, but because they were afraid what would happen if the robbers came while they were there. Fortunately, they didn't have to worry. The robbers hit the house again while they were away and stole the rifle...lol. Even though they bought out of fear, Dad was still extremely respectful of its capabilities. He kept the ammo in a small safe, and the rifle out of reach. The burglar got the rifle, but not the ammo. [img]graemlins/hehe.gif[/img]
Though I've never been one, I know many avid hunters who exercise the same care, but for every story I can tell someone else can tell 100 negative stories.
By the way, IMHO, assault rifles being availible to the general public and the loop holes in licensing at gun shows are RIDICULOUS!
Bottom line? Americans will always have guns unless someone
other than our own government can take them away from US.
As to the Constitution, of course it was made by flawed men, but it's the Code of Laws we base our society on. All societies have a Code of Laws, and ours as all others, has evolved over time and continues to evolve, but it still harkens to it's roots, in our case, the US Constitution. Which, admittedly, is less a "root system" and more like the entire foundation
and structure combined.
PS. Yorik, what's up with your egg? It's not working.
[ 10-21-2002, 05:32 PM: Message edited by: Ronn_Bman ]