# Thursday, November 01, 2007
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Preventing crime

When I read stuff like this:

The gun lobby of course prefers to punish "criminals" who commit crimes or acts of violence, but gun proponents demonstrate no interest in preventing gun violence.

I can't help but think of things like:

  • We need to prevent slander by removing everyones vocal cords.
  • We need to prevent rape by castrating all men.
  • We need to prevent prostitution by putting chastity belts on all women.
  • We need to prevent child abuse by banning children.
  • We need to prevent bank robberies by taking all the money from banks.
  • We need to prevent car accidents by banning all cars.
  • And most importantly, we need to prevent gun violence by prosecuting government officials (violation of 18 USC 242) and others (violation of 18 USC 241) that conspire to take our guns.
Freedom | Gun Rights
Joe Huffman  Thursday, November 01, 2007 9:31:02 AM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)  #    Disclaimer  |  Comments [5]  |  Related posts:
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Friday, November 02, 2007 1:59:06 PM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)
Excellent post.
David
Friday, November 02, 2007 3:03:30 PM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)
Thanks.

The whole "preventing crime" idea is one of my hot buttons. I get a little "hot under the collar" about it. It's such an obvious "no-brainer" to me and yet other people seem to think it's the obvious solution.

See also this and this.
Joe Huffman
Saturday, November 03, 2007 8:47:38 AM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)
Two points:
1.) The placement of quotation marks around "criminals" indicates the typical liberal slant that objects are the source of problems, and that people shouldn't be held responsible for their actions. In short, we are all "criminals" at heart; it's the nanny state's duty to protect us from fulfilling our criminal destiny.

2.) The gun lobbies disinterest "to prevent gun violence" shows the flip side of this argument. Conservative gun owners believe that it's people who should be held responsible. Punishment (or law enforcement, more accurately) is imposed upon lawbreakers. Until you commit a crime, your rights to freedom of expression (such as to own a gun or drive a fast car) shall not be abridged by prior restraint.

This is the operative difference between us and them. What they view as "gun control" we view as "people control."
Defens
Saturday, November 03, 2007 10:23:46 AM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)
Yeah, I noticed the "criminal" thing too. Decided not to comment on it because it would detract from my main point. Thanks for pointing it out and elaborating.
Joe Huffman
Saturday, November 03, 2007 1:48:14 PM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)
Thanks for digging up this quote:

"..."criminals" who commit crimes or acts of violence, but gun proponents demonstrate no interest in preventing gun violence."

I have been searching for the proper context to help me define the disarmer's term, "gunviolence". Thanks to you, I now know that it is neither "crime" nor "acts of violence".

More hints like these and I'll be able to deduce the correct meaning by process of elimination.
TJH
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