That's interesting because I heard a Professor on the Dig podcast today,
talking about the complications of gun control. He didn't make the point that
you did, about poor people feeling that they wouldn't be safe if their guns
were taken away. And I still think your view is sort of a romanticized, male
schauvinist view because I'm quite sure that women and children in poor
neighborhoods don't feel safer with guns in the hands of young angry men. But
he did talk about how, in fact, we do have gun control for poor people of color
because they are the people who are stopped and frisked. They are the people
who are arrested if they are found to have guns. They pay the price for gun
violence while the police do not. He suggested that black defendants be given
all the consideration in trials that the police who shoot people are given. The
other point that was made is the point that Carl has made several times on this
list, that gun ownership and violence are part of our culture and that
solutions aren't easy. The professor focused on gun manufacture. My feeling is
that we can't stop folks from being violent or angry, just like we can't stop
them from being racist. But we can put laws in place to stop the expression of
the violence and the racism. The root of the problem is money. Gun
manufacturers make lots of money selling guns here at home and selling them to
people in other countries.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Bob Hachey
Sent: Friday, October 06, 2017 4:30 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: Not again, it is the deadliest mass shooting in
America's modern history until now
Hi Miriam,
I agree with you as to all of the violence that Guns help to cause. But, I'm
afraid that many Americans, including some who live in poor neighborhoods are
wrongly convinced that having guns will help protect them. Also, there is a
legitimate fear that any kind of force going around from home to home
collecting guns or anything else in poor neighborhoods might abuse their power
and try to do more than just collect guns.
In the end, I do believe that we ought to be abel to sharply reduce guns per
capita, but it will be a long and probably a painful process and it sure won't
happen in today's environment.
Bob Hachey
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Miriam Vieni
Sent: Thursday, October 05, 2017 9:26 AM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: Not again, it is the deadliest mass shooting in
America's modern history until now
The people in Baltimore have actdually done their own gun collection and are
working hard to control gun violence in their neighborhoods. I don't know why
you and Frank think that poor people want guns in their neighborhood.s The guns
are not being used for defense of the population against the police or for a
revolutionary uprising against oppression. They're being used for gang wars,
theft, and drive by shootings. And way back when the Black Panthers did
actually have guns for revolutionary purposes, the guns didn't help. They
ensured that people like Fred Hampton would be murdered in his bed by police.
Guns didn't save him. Guns ensured the murder of Malcolm X. They didn't save
him.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Bob Hachey
Sent: Thursday, October 05, 2017 8:32 AM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: Not again, it is the deadliest mass shooting in
America's modern history until now
Hi Frank,
That's exactly what I was afraid would happen if we had more gun sweeps.
Bob
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Frank Ventura
Sent: Thursday, October 05, 2017 3:52 AM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: Not again, it is the deadliest mass shooting in
America's modern history until now
Bob, we have had "gun sweeps" here in the states and it is always a pretext to
harass the poor and minorities.
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Bob Hachey
Sent: Wednesday, October 4, 2017 2:54 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: Not again, it is the deadliest mass shooting in
America's modern history until now
Hi Miriam,
Glad to here how well the gun buyback went in Austrailia. I guess I figure that
many Americans who have lots of guns now will not be willing to participate in
a program like that. Then what do you do? I don't think I want big brother
conducting raids to reduce the number of guns on the streets. Imagine the aguse
that would occur with a program like that one?
Bob Hachey