[lit-ideas] Re: Didn't I tell you so?
- From: "Lawrence Helm" <lawrencehelm@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 30 May 2006 21:37:07 -0700
After reading how peaceful Canada was I was about to turn in my guns and
move there, but then I ran across the following:
http://www.fradical.com/Violent_crime_statistics_Canada.htm
Lawrence
_____
From: lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Paul Stone
Sent: Tuesday, May 30, 2006 7:13 PM
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Didn't I tell you so?
LH: As Taylor tells us, we have a lot of reasons for the things we believe
and do. You live in Canada and don't want a gun because guns kill people.
The implication being that you don't want a gun because you don't want to
kill anyone. I wasn't raised with any idea like that. Guns are offensive
or defensive depending upon who has them and what his intention is.
I don't want a gun, because, as I TRIED to explain in my rather long
explanation, they are killing machines and I don't want to contribute to
needless, inevitable violence against another person.
The guy coming to rob you and kill you if necessary intends his gun for
offensive purposes, but you, if you had a gun could use it for defensive
purposes.
The thing is... there IS NO guy coming to rob me because no one has guns and
they aren't readily available AND... our culture simply isn't a cutthroat
situation where people just rob others.
You could let him know you had a gun and perhaps that would cause him to
leave yours tackle a less-defended house, or you could actually use it for
defense if he were persistent. But, of course if there are few criminals in
Canada who use guns to do such things as I described, then why bother?
Exactly! What a country! Are you going to beat your chest and say "USA is
better because our criminals use guns"?
In such a peaceful environment only hunters, target shooters, and perhaps
war-paraphernalia collectors would be interested in owning guns.
Yes... I agree and apart from a few organized biker gangs and fringe
maniacs, few people do commit acts of violence with guns in Canada.
At Boeing years ago, my office was across the aisle from a very Liberal
fellow who was against the owning of guns. His wife was Canadian and he
used to travel up there regularly - claimed to be treated rather shabbily by
the Canadians by the way.
Yeah, that's because we generally suspect Americans of loving guns. The
statistics bear that out.
This fellow lived near the beach and had something of a hippy life-style.
Sometimes on holidays people who used the beach would park in his driveway
so that he couldn't park his own car there. He had a lot of confrontations
with them. He was a big guy and despite his Liberal leanings could confront
with the best of them. He also had a baseball bat in his bedroom for
defense.
You have to hit a person a LOT of times to wound a guy with a bat. With a
gun... a 100 pound nancy boy can kill Nicolai Valuev.
If you don't feel comfortable with a gun because you were taught certain
things about them, had certain experiences with them, or you can't remember
why but just don't like them, then you shouldn't have a gun.
I don't NEED a gun and nobody should -- unfortunately, in your culture, lots
of people need them. The reason is because lots of people have them. It's a
microcosm of MAD.
Get a baseball bat or get good locks on your doors and windows and hope if
someone ever does try to break in that the police will get there before they
get to you.
I've lived here for 39 years and nobody has ever broken in to ANYBODY I
know's house.
Furthermore, your chances are probably good no one will target your house.
Yes... very good.
Only 16% of men will contract prostate cancer sometime in their lives. The
chances of your being robbed in your home are probably much lower than that.
I think it entirely reasonable to rely upon the laws of chance and take no
precautions against either eventuality.
Me too. Because a whole lotta people get killed with guns every year JUST
because they exist.
Paul
_________________
[insert pithy quote here]
Paul Stone
pas@xxxxxxxx
Leamington, ON. Canada
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