From: billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson)
Subject: Re: the US elections...
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Company, Corvallis, Oregon USA
Date: Sat, 7 Nov 1992 10:13:43 GMT

cortese@skid.ps.uci.edu (Janis Maria Cortese) writes:
: 
: >1. Gun control. If you feel as I do that it's a bad idea, make a
: >habit of contacting the White House...
: 
: I do not feel as you do.  Guns I have no problem with -- but there is no
: reason in HELL why any sane individual should have an assault weapon, or

Why not? A so called "assault weapon" is no different than any other
firearm. It is no more accurate or lethal than any other.

: why the gov't shouldn't check on you a little, or at least give you a

The NRA has been proposing "instant checks" for years. Unfortunately, those
who want to take all firearms away from the law abiding citizens have fought
against such a check. They want to confiscate - not control.

: handling course.  Jesus, what do they make you go through when you buy a
: car, a mere device to haul your ass from point A to point B? 

I am all for firearms training courses. I think all school children should
have to take a mandatory course. Maybe for the first time in about the 5th
or 6th grades, and again in high school.

: >2. Censorship. Tipper Gore is the Vice President's wife. She is
: >potentially much more dangerous than Marilyn Quayle, especially
: >as her husband, unlike Dan Quayle, is going to be allowed input
: >at the highest levels of power.
: 
: Al Gore, bless him, has never given me any indication that he carries
: Tipper's politics anywhere near him, or that he uses his position as an
: excuse to push her ideas; though, if a little input DIDN'T occur, I'd be
: frankly surprised.  

Unfortunately, Tipper has seemed to be a more ardent proponent of
censorship than most of the radical fundamentalists. I hope you are
right, and that her input will be limited.

... deleted ...

: Pray tell, you see no interaction between economic stimulation and
: drgus?  People get stoned when there's nothing better for them, and when
: they have no other way of making money.  Health care similarly affects
: drugs -- what do you do when you have such huge problems in your life
: but can't do anything about them?  All things are interrelated.  

Exactly. However, Clinton does not seem to realize this. He certainly
has given no such indication of it in his speeches.

: And, trust me.  They won't give the product away.  This is a business,
: as much as anything else.  If a huge new diamond deposit is found
: somewhere, the price of diamonds drops through the floor and DeBeer's
: goes out of business.  The so-called War on Drugs is the best thing that
: ever happened to the drug-dealing, gun-toting assholes.  It insures a
: limited and highly expensive supply of what they sell.

There is inherently nothing wrong with drug dealing. There are a bunch
of large multi-national companies who do so legally. And, they sell drugs
more dangerous than anything currently on the illegal market.

Also, most of the gun-toting drug dealers carry guns to keep others from
ripping them off. It is understandable when you often carry such a valuable
product. Many gem/coin/bullion dealers do the same thing.

: No, I'm not advocating necessarily legalizing the hard drugs, like
: heroin and crack.  But I am starting to wonder if, logically, that is
: not the only real long-term solution.  It galls me to have to "give in"

It is.

: like that, but fuck gall and fuck pride.  We have a problem to solve.  

What is wrong with a person using any drug that they wish? It is their
life. If they wish to destroy it, that should be their right. What they
do not have the right to do is kill someone else by their actions. That
is what should be illegal - not the use of the drugs themselves.

Bill