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Will America ever learn?

There's a famous saying that, "Those who fail to learn from the mistakes of the past are doomed to repeat them."

I can't recall the originator - but with recent events in America - and the resulting pathetic rhetoric about political behavior, ignoring the smoking gun/elephant in the room - can America ever shed its historical feudal right to bear arms? Does anyone else think its about time it did?

There really is no need for a civilian to bear arms in the modern USA and despite all the laws - and the impenetrably powerful gun loonie lobby - isn't it about time American politicians grew spines and decided that this really is enough.

A little girl, born on 9/11/2001 lost her most basic and precious right, life itself because another man had the right to carry a gun. Americans you have Megan's law - how about a law to remember this little girl and abandon your primitive right to hold a tool which serves no purpose than to take life.

I note the the people most pro guns are also the most right-wing, pro-Life and pro-God - and if that doesn't prove what an anachronism this law is, I don't know what does.

Tags: gifford, guns, murder, politics

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by david perry on January 19, 2011 at 6:20pm

Would Charles Darwin get a gun?
http://www.opednews.com/articles/Would-Charles-Darwin-Get-a-by-Bern...

Permalink Reply by Marc Draco on January 19, 2011 at 6:24pm

Good piece that... one of several that this shooting has generated: more than the 100,000 or so take place in America every year.

I'll get back behind me sandbags now.

Permalink Reply by Joseph P on January 19, 2011 at 6:28pm

Interesting way of looking at it. Thanks for the article.

Permalink Reply by Joseph P on January 19, 2011 at 6:21pm

And I assume you haven't committed any violent felonies of the sort to get you banned from owning them?

I imagine you haven't been through what I would consider a sufficient background check, since I think South Carolina's laws on the subject are a bit loose. I also imagine you'd have no difficulties passing a thorough background check, though, so I have no problems with your little gun stockpile, as long as you keep them locked up and safe from the loonies surrounding you.

*shrug* No complaints.

Permalink Reply by Chris G on January 18, 2011 at 7:40pm

Marilyn Manson caused it.

Just like the Columbine school shooting.

Permalink Reply by Joseph P on January 19, 2011 at 6:29pm

Yeah, I can't stand that song. He has a few good ones off of that CD, but that's not one of them.

Permalink Reply by Bobb Hale on January 19, 2011 at 8:57pm

Who owns you?

Yes, "we" should allow peaceful people to act however they choose so long as they harm no other person or property.

On the other hand, people who harm, or put people in potential harm, like persons stockpiling dangerous things, should be required by law to carry enough insurance so as to make anyone who was harmed, whole again.

I'm hoping we can have discourse without resorting to name-calling.

Permalink Reply by Bobb Hale on January 19, 2011 at 10:06pm

Damn good thing the doctor wrote this as an op-ed, it would never have passed peer review.

In the very beginning he explained how he and some others escaped harm in an armed robbery. Of course random chance plays a part, but in general the most intelligent way to avoid being a victim is to not be a hero or an asshole.
Then he described what could happen with a bunch of gun-toting assholes. Anyone with an ounce of sense knows not to pull a gun on a man who has a gun pointed at you.

And as Joseph P said, all that's required to be fittest is to have viable sperm and eggs and an ability to keep enough of your spawn alive until it can reproduce.

The doctor is rather arrogantly assuming people like him, "smart" people, are superior. I don't think history will prove him correct.

Permalink Reply by Chris G on January 19, 2011 at 10:45pm

Maybe an underlying theme to the second amendment is the U.S. wouldn't have been able to begin without the right to bear arms.

Permalink Reply by Bobb Hale on January 21, 2011 at 1:31pm

Becky, you are not committing a tort if you shoot someone in self-defense.

Permalink Reply by Alecks Gates on January 21, 2011 at 2:18pm

Everyone I know that is pro guns (my family) use them to hunt and eat food. Most of them just ignore politics and religion.

Permalink Reply by Bobb Hale on February 11, 2011 at 2:59am

@stewart everett payne
I refuse to worship at your alter to government.
I too am in the south and I have spell check.
If you cannot trust yourself to act responsibly with firearms, then by all means restrict your access to them. But don't speak for me.
I'm not a right-wing bible thumper, but I'm also not a pussified left-wing lo0n.
So many otherwise intelligent people on this list seem to be screaming liberals...WTF's up with that?