Paul and others seem to miss the correlation between gun violence in the US and easy access to firearms in the US. That is why folks talk about banning guns. There is a problem, a correlation, and the view that maybe the correlation is a causal relation.<br>
<br>I'm not sure what the analogy with drunk driving is supposed to prove. In fact, we've used the law in many ways in an attempt to reduce drunk driving deaths: we've lowered speed limits, lowered drink limits, created traffic stops, etc. These measures have restricted the freedoms of all of us but the thought is that the increase in lives saved is worth the slight decrease in freedom. Personally I'm not sure this is right but the point is we did it, and we can talk about doing it and other things without calling each other names and getting hysterical.<br>
<br>What are the rightss that you would loose were we to ban semiautomatic weapons? The right to protect your family? You need a semiautomatic rifle for protection? That is absurd. You don't live in Beirut. The right to form a militia and overthrow a tyrannical government? That is absurd too. That semiautomatic rifle is not going to help much when you're starring down a tank! <br>
<br>Name one use of a semiautomatic weapon that would count as a right, something essential to your life, liberty, and happiness. You can't do it.<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Dec 28, 2012 at 11:51 AM, Carl Westberg <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:idahovandal1@live.com" target="_blank">idahovandal1@live.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 dir="ltr">
<div dir="ltr">Looking at the other side of this national discussion, an interesting report from the PBS News Hour about attempts to improve mental health care. <a href="http://video.pbs.org/video/2321198589/" target="_blank">http://video.pbs.org/video/2321198589/</a><br>
<br><div><div></div><hr>Date: Fri, 28 Dec 2012 11:31:15 -0800<br>From: <a href="mailto:godshatter@yahoo.com" target="_blank">godshatter@yahoo.com</a><br>To: <a href="mailto:thansen@moscow.com" target="_blank">thansen@moscow.com</a><br>
CC: <a href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com" target="_blank">vision2020@moscow.com</a><br>Subject: Re: [Vision2020] The Horror<br><br>
<div><br>
I wonder if Mr. Roach can rationalise the many deaths caused by
the use of alcohol as a recreational beverage. Lots more people
die from drunk drivers than die from spree shootings. I haven't
looked at the statistics, but I'll bet more people die from
alcohol poisoning than die from them as well. Then you have
people that die from the effects of alcohol abuse on their bodies,
or die from accidents involving alcohol consumption.<br>
<br>
Perhaps Mr. Roach would like to ban alcohol, too. I have no
idea. But I'm guessing that the same reasons we rationalise all
the drunk driving accidents are much the same that "gun rights
defenders" use for rationalising these events. The main one being
that freedom comes with a price. At least guns can be used for
self-defense, and aren't solely recreational.<br>
<br>
Paul<br>
<br>
On 12/28/2012 06:21 AM, Tom Hansen wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote>
<div><span></span></div>
<div>
<div>Courtesy of
today's (December 28, 2012) Moscow-Pullman Daily News with
thanks to Jim Roach.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>-------------------------------------</div>
<div>
<h1><font size="3"><span>The horror</span></font></h1>
<p><span>Hey, all you NRA gun rights
defenders, please rationalize the latest shooting in
Connecticut. Twenty first-graders and six adults dead. (I
can't list the shooter as one of the dead, because he was
already dead before he walked into the school).</span></p>
<p><span>Defend it for us all so we can
get behind you in support. Please, give it a go, we're all
ears. Justify the ease with which 15, 30 even 100 round
clips are available for our consumption. While you're at
it, justify the 6,000 rounds found in James Holmes'
apartment. Remember? He's the man who shot up the theatre
in Colorado. Also, defend Anders Breivik and his
possession of thousands of rounds he received through the
mail so he could shoot up those who so thoroughly offended
him. Wow, mail order ammunition clips.</span></p>
<div style="outline:0px;float:none!important;padding:0px;text-align:left">
<p style="text-align:-webkit-auto;outline:0px;float:none!important;padding:0px;background-image:none"><span>Or the Portland mall shooting.
Or the Columbine High School massacre. Or the Arkansas
school killings. Or, or, or ...</span></p>
</div>
<div style="outline:0px;float:none!important;padding:0px;text-align:left">
<p style="text-align:-webkit-auto;outline:0px;float:none!important;padding:0px;background-image:none"><span>Please, tell us how important
matters such as "gun shows," where thousands of guns and
ammunition are readily available with no ID or
background checks, are necessary for our survival.
Please, help someone like me, with so little cognitive
ability, understand. I like having fun. And, I only
require 3,000 rounds for my personal defense. I wouldn't
want to arouse John Law by owning any more than that. Or
do you think law enforcement would even notice?</span></p>
</div>
<div style="outline:0px;float:none!important;padding:0px;text-align:left">
<p style="text-align:-webkit-auto;outline:0px;float:none!important;padding:0px;background-image:none"><span>Mostly, though, I want the
justification of killing 6-and 7-year-olds. Oh yeah,
that's right, guns don't kill people, people kill
people. So that's OK, all nice and neat with a
decorative bow on the coffins. Do guns and ammo come
gift wrapped, too?</span></p>
</div>
<div style="outline:0px;float:none!important;padding:0px;text-align:left">
<p style="text-align:-webkit-auto;outline:0px;float:none!important;padding:0px;background-image:none"><b style="outline:0px;float:none!important;padding:0px">Jim Roach</b></p>
</div>
<div style="outline:0px;float:none!important;padding:0px;text-align:left">
<p style="text-align:-webkit-auto;outline:0px;float:none!important;padding:0px;background-image:none"><span>Moscow</span></p>
</div>
</div>
<div>-------------------------------------</div>
<div><br>
<div>Seeya round town, Moscow, because . . .</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>"Moscow Cares"</div>
<div><a href="http://www.MoscowCares.com" target="_blank">http://www.MoscowCares.com</a></div>
<div> </div>
<div>
<div>Tom Hansen</div>
<div>Moscow, Idaho</div>
<div> </div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<br>
<fieldset></fieldset>
<br>
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