Once and once only 'cos I like Walt's take on most things -
Americans really really don't seem to realise just how safe the rest
of the world is in comparison.
Of course, it's not all to do with guns, but they don't help. Moore's
message delivered in an exaggerated and ironic fashion was that guns
don't kill people, merkins kill people. Rather frequently. Disagree
if you wish but use good data.
I don't feel disarmed by my fearful sovereign. I suspect that Betty
Windsor is far more interested in shootin' than me. Rather weird
concept all that. In fact it was a very long time before I understood
that Americans demand the right to own guns in case the guvvermint
gets a tad tyrannical. I'd thought it was just a fetish. Given that
you've managed to stay relatively democratic for quite a long time
now, just like the rest of us with similar societies, and that guns
cause all sorts of problems, it might be sensible to revisit that
idea.
I know absolutely no-one who owns a hand gun. Or 'needs' one for
domestic protection rather than work (cop, security guard, etc.)
This is not because I live in an homogenous wealthy society - far
from it. I work in a community with a level of ethnic and cultural
diversity that would astonish many of you.
I've lived in many rather ordinary middle class suburbs in my life in
England and Australia. Been burgled a few times (that's burgled, not
'burglarised' which would have to mean the process of turning someone
into a burglar). No-one has ever turned up on my doorstep armed with
baseball bats, cricket bats, knives, swords, machetes, pointed sticks
or even much of a bad attitude in order to do me harm or take my
toys. Such incidents do occur, like anywhere, but they are very
unusual unless you actually believe the tabloids. Are you being
paranoid or is it really that dangerous round your way? If so, I
offer a cordial invitation to move out here - I'll sponsor you. I'd
enjoy the company.
Haven't even been burgled since I got a dog and left her in the house
during the day. Don't have to answer any difficult questions to
licence her.
All governments fear and distrust their citizens - they vote them out
for the silliest reasons. That's why they mostly do what we want,
rather than what the parliamentarians want.
All governments control the worst excesses of their citizens - that's
what they are for!
None of the above is ironic.
Decide today not to live in fear.
AndrewF
Well, I don't think anybody ever called the CDC a right-wing
organization. And certainly not Reuters.
http://www.instapundit.com/archives/011803.php
Living under the rule of a soverign that disarms (meaning it fears
and distrusts) its citizens, a couple of doped-up, drunken or just
plain mean thugs with an aluminum baseball bat can come to your
front door, force their way in and for as long as it suits them do
as they please with you and your possessions -- not to mention
your wife, daughter, son, dog, cat or budgie.
If a pair of doped-up, drunken or just plain mean thugs come to my
front door, I'll just end up with another aluminum baseball bat
and an amusing story to tell my NRA buddies.
The fact that guns are illegal is not a deterrent to criminals,
who, as a species, themselves are illegal. I am constantly amused
that so many of those who are fervently anti-gun seem to think
that making the possession of firearms illegal will result in this
sort of thought process for the criminal: "Damn, I need some
money. I was going to rob a liquor store, but it's against the
law for me to have this pistol, and I could get in trouble for
that. I guess I'll have to go get a job at the car wash instead."
But we've argued this all before, and I'm quitting now. That is,
unless somebody starts singing the praises of Michael Moore again.
Walt, still armed, but only sometimes dangerous.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"...as we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know
we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say,
we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also
unknown unknowns, the ones we don't know we don't know." -- Donald
Rumsfeld
---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: "tOM Trottier" <Tom@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Reply-To: olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Wed, 03 Dec 2003 15:01:52 -0500
This pseudo-scientific article is unrefereed and
misleading. "Public Policy Sources" is a regular publication of
the Fraser Institute, a right-wing pressure group in Canada.
< This message was delivered via the Olympus Mailing List >
< For questions, mailto:owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >
< Web Page: http://Zuiko.sls.bc.ca/swright/olympuslist.html >
< This message was delivered via the Olympus Mailing List >
< For questions, mailto:owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >
< Web Page: http://Zuiko.sls.bc.ca/swright/olympuslist.html >
|