It is by the fortune of God that, in this country, we have three benefits: freedom of speech, freedom of thought, and the wisdom never to use either.
Mark Twain
[Reading all the editorials about the Omaha mall shooting reminded me of this. They never bother to consider Just One Question.–Joe]
I tried “Just One Question” on an anti gun rights Russian the other day. He came back with a hearty “yes” and supported it by saying how safe and wonderful things were in Russia and how there is absolutely no gun manufacturing in Russia from which bad people could acquire firearms.
“To the question: Easily. I grew up in USSR. There were no industry pumping guns into mass population. So there were no guns around. I never seen a gun around. Bad guys had to use knives, I guess. Anyway, murder rate was very low. Becuase to kill by knife you have to face person close, and have some skills too, not just dead brain.
About ownership and my life – absolutely, I want to protect my life! That’s exactly what I’m doing by demanding gun ban. I don’t want to be around freaks with gun. I know for sure there are millions of mental cases walking around. Knowing they have guns doesn’t make me comfortable.
And buying gun myself is clearly not a solution:
1.
What if the mental case who wants to kill me draw faster than me? How many hours a day I have to practice to be able to “defend myself and own my life”? Cos, you know… split second too slow – and you are history. Or where do I learn to feel the bad guy waiting for me in the dark? Like those guys in 7 samurais can feel the enemy…
2.
Since what age do we give guns to kids to school? 7? 6? Well judging by US cases where 5 year olds brought they mama’s boyfriend’s gun to school – it got to be 5! So you know, they have to defend themselvs to. Not just you, X0 year old grown up man, who (presumably) can tell what’s right and what’s wrong.
At what age do I give gun to my daughter before letting her go to the mall? 10? 9? 8?
Or wait, you didn’t think about kids and women who pass out at just looking at the gun? My wife afraid of guns by nature. How do I protect her every day? Do I drive her around and to work, like those arab guys do in Middle East? Or do I hire a bodyguard? Or may be just buy armored car and hope she runs fast in the open from her car to her office? (and also hope there are no depressed nut cases in the office)
Guess your world (were everybody should have right to defend themselves with gun) – all consists of grown up males and some tough mature women. There is no place there for kids, sensitive woman and older people.
In my world defending myself = making sure nut cases around can’t get a gun.”
He went on an on like this for thousands of words, never flinching in the face of some excellent reasoning from other commenters. He was “sure” of his position and nothing was going to have any effect on it. If you have an hour, here’s the whole thing:
http://olegvolk.livejournal.com/364188.html