[Vision2020] A 2nd amendment argument against the NRA plan

[Joe Campbell]

Paul: It is not a comparatively small number of deaths. When you compare
those deaths to other deaths, especially of young people, and compare our
numbers to similar deaths in other countries, the number is quite high.
That is why people are worried.

On Sun, Dec 23, 2012 at 7:21 PM, Paul Rumelhart <godshatter at yahoo.com>wrote:

> I had no idea the old assault weapons ban was so, well, silly.  Banning
> guns because they look tough?  Banning guns that are used in 2% of
> firearm-related crimes?
>
> The biggest thing for me is the hype that these spree shooting events
> get.  A very small number of deaths compared to many other causes of death
> that are more prevalent and probably a better investment in terms of
> resources to boot.  So the anti-gun crowd will get some equally useless set
> of regulations, and our children will be no safer.  And someone exercising
> their Second Amendment rights will get demonized a little bit more.
>
> Paul
>
>
>   ------------------------------
> *From:* Gary Crabtree <jampot at roadrunner.com>
> *To:* Joe Campbell <philosopher.joe at gmail.com>; Moscow Vision 2020 <
> vision2020 at moscow.com>
> *Sent:* Sunday, December 23, 2012 1:47 PM
> *Subject:* Re: [Vision2020] A 2nd amendment argument against the NRA plan
>
>  An interesting and informative article on the topic de jour from a
> different perspective:
>
>
> http://kontradictions.wordpress.com/2012/08/09/why-not-renew-the-assault-weapons-ban-well-ill-tell-you/
> Many thanks to the off-list participant who sent this to me. It sums up
> the problem (or lack there of) far better then I ever could.
>
> g
>
>  *From:* Joe Campbell <philosopher.joe at gmail.com>
> *Sent:* Sunday, December 23, 2012 12:56 PM
> *To:* Moscow Vision 2020 <vision2020 at moscow.com>
> *Subject:* [Vision2020] A 2nd amendment argument against the NRA plan
>
> We've noted some specific criticisms of the NRA plan, raised by Saundra,
> Sunil, and others. Here is a general argument against the NRA plan which
> rests on some but not all of the specific criticisms. By the "NRA plan," I
> mean the plan to deal with our gun violence problem by putting armed forces
> in our schools (and presumably other public venues).
>
> Since it is the NRA plan, if it is a good plan, it should preserve and be
> consistent with our 2nd amendment rights. Those rights are based on the
> need for protection of either of two forms: (a) protection against
> tyrannical governments as well as (b) the protection of your life, your
> interests, and the lives and interests of your family and friends. Thus,
> the NRA plan is justified by appeal to the 2nd amendment to the extent that
> it is based on and secures these type-a and type-b protections. Will the
> NRA better protect us from the threat of tyrannical governments or the
> threats of mass murderers, spree shooters, and other lunatics?
>
> It is far from clear that the NRA plan will protect us from mass murderers
> and spree shooters and there is good reason to think that it will cause
> more harm. The fact is that these folks are SUICIDAL as well as homicidal.
> Until it can be shown that the NRA plan will protect us from harm rather
> than lead us to more harm it should not be taken seriously.
>
> What about the need for semi-automatic weapons in order to form militias
> against a tyrannical government? Given this, we need a plan that won't put
> restrictions on semi-automatic weapons. Yet I don't see how putting armed
> government forces in every school in the country is going to increase the
> possibility of forming a militia to overtake a tyrannical government. It
> strikes me that forming a police state within the school system is exactly
> the wrong thing to do if your concern is that your government is taking
> away your freedom and is on the verge of becoming a tyranny.
>
> Best, Joe
>  ------------------------------
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