Text 49687, 69 rader
Skriven 2007-04-19 18:07:00 av Jeff Smith (1:14/0)
  Kommentar till text 49644 av Michiel van der Vlist (2:280/5555)
Ärende: Shootings
=================
Hello Michiel.

19 Apr 07 10:41, you wrote to me:

 MV> Hello Jeff!

 MV> On Wednesday April 18 2007 22:28, you wrote to Björn Felten:

 JS>>>>      Then the only people left holding guns would be the bad
 JS>>>> guys.

 BF>>>    And why would that be so bad?

 JS>>      Because holding or owning a gun should be a sign or
 JS>> indication of being a bad guy. I don't consider myself to be THAT
 JS>> bad of a guy yet I own a dozen or so guns including three
 JS>> handguns.

 MV> And this is exactly what the problem is. You believe yourself to be a
 MV> good guy, so in your mindset it is perfectly all right for *you* to
 MV> have guns.

     Again, people having guns is not the problem. If I choose to have
guns I must also accept the responsibility for the safe and proper use
of those guns. The problem is that some people look at having a gun as
as status symbol or a mine is bigger than yours thing or as Björn mentioned
a macho thing. Any of these are possible in todays society. A recent local
study here indicates that the conceal carry law enacted in 2002 that permits
people to carry concealed guns has little or no effect in the increase in
crime here. In fairness though I must say that it also hasn't had much effect
in lowering the crime level either as some had hoped.

 MV> But then how many people really consider themselves to be the bad
 MV> guys?...

     Rather few I would imagine. What determines who are the bad guys I
would think is what the end result is of someone having a gun.

 BF>>> Doesn't it simplify matters for the police if they know that
 BF>>> anyone holding a piece is a bad guy?

 JS>>     But that often times isn't the case.

 MV> It *would* be the case if guns were outlawed.

      Outlawing guns isn't the answer. The guns are not the problem. The
people are the problem.

 JS>> In the state that I live in (Minnesota) one can aquire a permit
 JS>> to carry a concealed weapon.

 MV> Here in The Netherlands permits like that do not exist. It is not
 MV> entirely impossible to legally own it gun, but there is no way a
 MV> citizen can legally carry a loaded gun on the street. Open or
 MV> concealed.

 MV> So here it is indeed very simple. Anyone holding a piece is either a
 MV> criminal or a policeman.


 MV> Cheers, Michiel

 MV> --- GoldED+/W32-MSVC 1.1.5-b20060315
 MV>  * Origin: http://www.van.der.vlist.org (2:280/5555)

Jeff

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