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Will America ever learn?

There's a famous saying that, "Those who fail to learn from the mistakes of the past are doomed to repeat them."

I can't recall the originator - but with recent events in America - and the resulting pathetic rhetoric about political behavior, ignoring the smoking gun/elephant in the room - can America ever shed its historical feudal right to bear arms? Does anyone else think its about time it did?

There really is no need for a civilian to bear arms in the modern USA and despite all the laws - and the impenetrably powerful gun loonie lobby - isn't it about time American politicians grew spines and decided that this really is enough.

A little girl, born on 9/11/2001 lost her most basic and precious right, life itself because another man had the right to carry a gun. Americans you have Megan's law - how about a law to remember this little girl and abandon your primitive right to hold a tool which serves no purpose than to take life.

I note the the people most pro guns are also the most right-wing, pro-Life and pro-God - and if that doesn't prove what an anachronism this law is, I don't know what does.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Apeman Jim on January 14, 2011 at 7:08am

It is more than just belief, it is the unevaluated state of living, the magical or careless thoughts disjointed from reality which bring so much pain.

Atheism is incidental to a grander world view. Violence is not within the purview of a rational discourse or and is never naturally fertilized by an open and logical mind.

Permalink Reply by Ken Thompson on January 17, 2011 at 12:05pm

well said, I concur

Permalink Reply by Joseph P on January 15, 2011 at 3:49pm

Marc, ideas like those of the anti-vax crowd have a pretty high body count as well. I don't think Jim was saying that guns are not dangerous. He was saying that ideas are more dangerous, with which I agree.

Permalink Reply by Marc Draco on January 15, 2011 at 3:58pm

Ideas can be more dangerous when spread by commanding witnesses - like Glen Beck and Sarah Palin.

I wonder how many lives these asshats have destroyed?

Permalink Reply by david perry on January 15, 2011 at 4:54pm

http://www.alternet.org/story/149468/40_violent_incidents_and_the_r...

Permalink Reply by Craigart14 on January 16, 2011 at 4:16pm

So how do you kill someone with an idea? By spreading it among people who have access to guns.

There's a lot of confusion about the second amendment. It clearly links the right to "keep and bear arms" (to "bear arms, in the 18th century, meant to "go to war) with the need for a militia--a well-regulated militia--to protect the country. The founders knew that standing armies were handy tools for tyrants, so they didn't want one. They would raise an army in time of war, just as they did during the revolution, but rely on militias in emergencies. (The various militias had not been effective during the revolution, which was won by a trained professional army.) Gun enthusiasts often seem to think they have the right to hunt, and maybe they do, but it's not in the Constitution. Many think they have a right to bear arms to protect themselves from the government, but 18th century militias were actually an arm of government. They existed for the "security of a free state."

By anti-vax, did you mean anti-vaccination? (Sorry if that's a dumb question.) A friend of mine told me yesterday she never got vaccinations, and only got shots for her dog because the vet wouldn't treat the dog unless it had a rabies shot. What the hell is she thinking?

Permalink Reply by Joseph P on January 16, 2011 at 8:58pm

So how do you kill someone with an idea? By spreading it among people who have access to guns.

That's one of the many ways, yes. But there are so many other ways for a determined person to kill a bunch of people, it's more effective to go after the idea that sets off the nutcases, rather than the tools they use.

Guns should also be controlled more, since they allow people to kill someone more easily and abruptly, without having time to cool off and realize it's a bad idea. But removing guns wouldn't necessarily stop people like the nutcase we're talking about in this thread, for example. He'd have found some way to make his 'political' statement.

Yeah, anti-vax is shorthand for anti-vaccination. I can't remember if it was adopted by the anti-vax movement itself or those who mock them, but it's in common use now.

And holy crap, that's even worse with pets. There are all kinds of horrible things that pets are even more prone to than humans, because you can't explain to them why they shouldn't do the high-risk activities. They can't grasp the fact that even if you kill the raccoon, you still lose.

Permalink Reply by Chris on January 16, 2011 at 10:52pm

So how do you kill someone with an idea?

By having someone on FOX who incites violence.

Permalink Reply by Craigart14 on February 11, 2011 at 9:24am

And having someone with a gun who watches Fox. Glenn Beck, for example, has advocated shooting liberals in the head.

Permalink Reply by Apeman Jim on January 18, 2011 at 10:16am

along the lines of the anti-vax issue, there is an interesting site you may want to check out www.jennymccarthybodycount.com

Permalink Reply by Joseph P on January 19, 2011 at 7:02pm

Heh, yeah, I heard about that site on an episode of Non-Prophets Radio.

Permalink Reply by Smitty on January 27, 2011 at 10:37pm

Mr. Marc. I don't think you've ever been robbed or held at gun point by someone who has the law completely out of their mind. It was at that moment that I promised myself to be protected from the crazy people out in the world. If one is smart and careful handling a gun, I absolutely support having them. And I think the fact that you're associating this law with right-wing thinkers in general is a bit immature and naive frankly. I know that if I or any of my family/friends is in a life threatening situation ever again, I want to have my pistol in case I have to use it. And when I say use it, I don't necessarily mean discharge it. Often enough, you could just threaten a crook with a gun and they'll submit.

There will always be crazy people with guns whether they are outlawed or not, and I don't foresee myself being unarmed when I encounter these crazy people.

Like those right wing "loonies", I feel that it's my right to protect myself and my family from any situation that could be life threatening. If you don't support doing everything possible to prevent the loss of your own life or a loved one's life, I don't see any hope for you.