From: swood@vela.acs.oakland.edu (Scott Wood - EVENSONG)
Subject: Re: AR Prisoners in need of your written support
Organization: Oakland University, Rochester MI.
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 18:24:47 GMT

amcmicha@gmuvax2.gmu.edu (Andrew McMichael) writes:

`In article <swood.720929493@vela> swood@vela.acs.oakland.edu (Scott Wood - EVENSONG) writes:
`>Take away guns and only outlaws will have guns.  Take away hunting and only
`>poachers will hunt.  It will not stop the problem situations.  Only stop
`>the responsible use of such activities and resources.

`You had me until you started with the NRA drivel.  While I agree
`that it is mainly <poachers> vs. <hunters>  that are responsible
`for the population losses of rare game in the last 10-20 years,
`saying that 'Take away guns and only outlaws will have guns' is 
`nonsense.  Every time you catch someone with a weapon, take it
`away and destroy it.  Viola. One less killing machine.

That hasn't worked for the drug trade.  It won't work for the gun trade
either.  I can tell you - and judge it as you may - that if guns were
outlawed in this country, I would not willfully give up mine.  I have
some treasured weapons that are now family heirlooms and have been passed
down for generations.  Most not even valuable peices were it not for their
sentimental value or obscurity of origin.  So then outlawing guns would make
me and all other responsible gun users that register and maintain and learn
to responsibly use our firearms outlaws if we choose not to just "give them
up."
That statement covers a lot more than just the concepts of the thousands
of illegal guns that are already on the street.  Guns are confiscated and
destroyed everyday.  Outlawed assault weapons from other countries are
still showing up on the streets as though it was "business as usual".
Until better solutions are found to enforce existing laws, you are not
going to do anything with gun laws buy make responsible citizens criminals
should they not choose to abide.  (ie what would be in my opinion "civil
disobedience!")

As far as the hunting comment, not to put responsible hunters down, but
I have talked to more than one responsible hunter (ie those that spend
their money to support "wildlife (in the pluralized sense - not just
game animals) practice with their weapons, patrol their areas and clean
up the wild, etc...) that stated if hunting was outlawed outright, then
they wouldn't have to worry about seasons or bag limits anymore.  (ie their
own form of civil disobedience to such restricting laws would be to become
poachers themselves to get meat in their freezers)

While I do not show this as a recommended route or as an example of good
logic (not to pass anti-hunting legislation) these people are otherwise
profoundly for wildlife preservation and conservation.  In other words,
while hunting IS legal, they are going to do their best to assure the
wilds of America are supported.  If forbidden from their use of its
resources, these groups would take it as a slap in the face - and frankly
I do not blame them one bit....

swood
-- 
  Nov. 08   Closing day of Duck/Waterfowl season (upper L.P. of Michigan)
  Nov. 11   Closing day of Michigan Quail hunting
  Nov. 12   Closing day of early Waterfowl season (lower L.P.)
 Currently  Rabbit, squirrel and bird season are still alive and well!