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.<br>
<br><div class="gmail_quote">On Sun, Dec 23, 2012 at 7:21 PM, Paul Rumelhart <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:godshatter@yahoo.com" target="_blank">godshatter@yahoo.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div><div style="font-size:12pt;font-family:times new roman,new york,times,serif">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?<br>
<br>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.<br>
<br>Paul<br><div><span><br></span></div><div><br></div> <div style="font-family:times new roman,new york,times,serif;font-size:12pt"> <div style="font-family:times new roman,new york,times,serif;font-size:12pt"> <div dir="ltr">
<font face="Arial"> <hr size="1"> <b><span style="font-weight:bold">From:</span></b> Gary Crabtree <<a href="mailto:jampot@roadrunner.com" target="_blank">jampot@roadrunner.com</a>><br> <b><span style="font-weight:bold">To:</span></b> Joe Campbell <<a href="mailto:philosopher.joe@gmail.com" target="_blank">philosopher.joe@gmail.com</a>>; Moscow Vision 2020 <<a href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com" target="_blank">vision2020@moscow.com</a>> <br>
<b><span style="font-weight:bold">Sent:</span></b> Sunday, December 23, 2012 1:47 PM<br> <b><span style="font-weight:bold">Subject:</span></b> Re: [Vision2020] A 2nd amendment argument against the NRA plan<br> </font> </div>
<br>
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<div><font face="Calibri">An interesting and informative article on the topic de
jour from a different perspective:</font></div>
<div><font face="Calibri"></font> </div>
<div><a href="http://kontradictions.wordpress.com/2012/08/09/why-not-renew-the-assault-weapons-ban-well-ill-tell-you/" target="_blank">http://kontradictions.wordpress.com/2012/08/09/why-not-renew-the-assault-weapons-ban-well-ill-tell-you/</a><br>
</div>
<div><font face="Calibri">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.</font></div>
<div><font face="Calibri"></font> </div>
<div><font face="Calibri">g</font></div>
<div style="FONT:10pt Tahoma"><br></div>
<div style="FONT:10pt Tahoma;BACKGROUND:#f5f5f5">
<div><b>From:</b> <a rel="nofollow" title="philosopher.joe@gmail.com" href="mailto:philosopher.joe@gmail.com" target="_blank">Joe Campbell</a> </div>
<div><b>Sent:</b> Sunday, December 23, 2012 12:56 PM</div>
<div><b>To:</b> <a rel="nofollow" title="vision2020@moscow.com" href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com" target="_blank">Moscow Vision 2020</a> </div>
<div><b>Subject:</b> [Vision2020] A 2nd amendment argument against the NRA
plan</div></div>
<div><br></div>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).<br><br>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?<br><br>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.<br><br>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.<br><br>Best, Joe<br>
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