This is an interesting set of questions, but is sadly incomplete. Perhaps I could offer some more:
21. Most narcotics are banned, and yet are likely available within a mile or two of the location of every one of your readers. This is despite a "War On Drugs" that spends a thousand times more than any gun controller has ever proposed on confiscation. The question is: which weighs more, a ton of cocaine or a ton of Glocks? Extra credit: why do so many people think passing a law is some sort of magical talisman against the Evil Eye?
22. The Democratic party has a long history of saying "we're not going to take your guns", while simultaneously seizing people's guns (Lockyear v. California, the permanent injunction issued against New Orleans following Katrina gun confiscations, etc). Is there any reason that an educated person, aware of current events, should take at face value any statement from a Democrat that they support the right to keep and bear arms?
23. Aren't the Democrats sick of losing elections?
While japete's motivation deserves praise, I'm afraid that I am cautiously pessimistic that it's even possible to have a debate such as this. There's no commonality of first principles, and so people - even people of good will (which I presume japete to be) - will talk past each other. I believe that 99% of gun control laws are either futile or mendacious. Japete seems to think that there is a "sweet spot" where real progress can be made in reducing gun death by reducing law abiding people's access to guns.
24. When did the Left decide that the People couldn't be trusted, and if gun control laws as proposed (Assault Weapons Ban, etc) had been in force in 1946, would that not have prevented the Battle of Athens from expelling a corrupt government in Athens, TN? Extra credit: Is this not counter-revolutionary?
25. Is this whole debate - at its heart - not about gun deaths, but about the balance of power between citizen and government as originally established by the Founding Fathers, and the desire of "Progressives" to shift power to an elite minority of decision makers?
Sadly, I don't see any gain from this sort of discussion.
Full disclosure: One of my friends in High School shot himself, so I know about gun death up close and personal.
The right to keep and bear arms is the Second Amendment for a reason. The founding fathers thought it very important for the people to retain the right to defend themselves, both from threats against our neighbors AND our government.
ReplyDeleteHave been following this somewhat.
ReplyDeleteLawdog put up a nice response. And you bring up some good points.
The War on Drugs is a huge failure!
The left just does not seem to get it.
But they continue pushing their control the people agenda forward.
And they know to really control they must take away our right to defend ourselves and loved ones.
History has shown us what happens to the people then.
The War on Drugs.
Legalize them!! How can they be any worse controlled and sold like liquor then they are now?
And what is really sad is this Joan Peterson I beleive is from Minnesota...sigh...all the damn loons in this State!! I may need to vacate....
I do beleive I hear Alaska calling my name....
And if the friend who shot himself hadn't had a gun, he'd have...hanged himself. Or swallowed a double-fistful of pills. Or jumped in front of a train.
ReplyDeleteIt's sad that there are people determined to kill themselves, and also people determined to kill others. But even if we _could_ get rid of all the guns (which of course we can't), it's not like they wouldn't find other ways.