[lit-ideas] Re: Gun Control
- From: "Paul Stone" <pastone@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 19 Apr 2007 19:07:34 -0400
I may have mentioned that I was the Program Engineer who delivered Nigeria
Airways its last DC-10. I got to know the Nigerian reps fairly well; when
they learned I went to the pistol range every week they wanted to go along.
They were amazed that I could transport guns in the trunk of my car. Guns
are illegal to own in Nigeria; nevertheless the threat of violence is very
high; so anyone that can afford a gun, gets one. One of the reps
described a typical situation. Some young men would gather out in front of
a house they intend to rob and brandish knives and perhaps a gun or two and
threaten the inhabitants. Most inhabitants have no means of defense, but if
someone had a gun and either brandished it or fired a round into the air,
the robbers would run away. Common sense tells us that sort of thing is
true in the U.S. Is a burglar or robber more likely to choose my house to
break into, with its "beware of dog" sign on the back gate, or a neighbor
who has no dog and no such sign? He is obviously going to choose the
latter.
Okay, I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that what this little
anecdote proves is that a large portion of the citizens of the United States
are [literally] just as uncivilized as a large portion of Nigeria (which is
technically, in most people's eyes, uncivilized). As Judy said, laws against
murder will not stop a murderer from murdering, but ironically, the story of
Lawrence's shows how NOT having a gun will in fact reduce the number of
murders. I can't believe the crazy belief that Americans have that "if only
we could arm the students, this wouldn't have happened."
It's way too easy to kill another person or a few other people without
getting your hands dirty if you possess a gun. Every society has murders
even with virtually no guns present, but you don't have to be a rocket
scientist (maybe you actually SHOULDN'T be one) to understand that guns are
tools... enabling, killing, dangerous tools designed for ONE thing --
sending a projectile into something sentient in order to maim or kill it for
some end. When aimed at humans or bought specifically as 'protection' they
can only do bad. Ask yourself one thing -- how come most people in some
other countries are almost NEVER a victim of a violent crime and because of
this, feel no reason whatsoever, a need to arm themselves with tools
designed to kill other humans? I mean, i've had a stereo stolen... just the
other night some stupid kids (or REALLY stupid adults) threw some stones
through a few of my office building's windows. It cost me 850 bucks to fix.
Gee, I wish I had a GUN, maybe I could have KILLED the little bastards!
There are few things, other than one's own (or another's) body that needs to
be protected with deadly force. Civilized people understand that.
oh, by the way, there's no way to stop the Cho s of the world, but we could
certainly, and very easily make it very difficult to obtain a handgun in 2
minutes and perhaps make his wrath a little less diabolical.
paul
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