From: archer@utkux1.utk.edu (T. Archer)
Subject: Re: Waiting periods for sex and domestic violence
Organization: University of Tennessee Division of Continuing Education
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 1992 13:26:56 GMT

In article <1992Jul30.103325.27001@cbnewsk.cb.att.com> noraa@cbnewsk.cb.att.com (aaron.l.hoffmeyer) writes:

>Guns have a practical purpose - to kill wild game.  

Also self defense, target shooting, check on tyranny, collecting... So what?
>So, a second original
>purpose for guns was to kill humans - primarily in acts of war.  War -
>the by-product of a lack of communication.

No.  Sometimes war is the by-product of naked aggression and lust for power 
over others.

[patronizing description of application of kinetic energy deleted]

>That's the reality of a bullet firing and penetrating an animal.

>That is what bullets and guns were designed for - that is their purpose.

>Society has the right to determine whether this is a tool that we need
>and should have.  

No, it does not. "Society" has no rights at all.  Only individuals have 
rights.

>In the 1700's, war was a reality of everyday life.  Not
>only that, but a gun was a tool that provided sustenance for humans.
>But today, we have many other tools for providing that sustenance.  Guns
>are not needed for that purpose - although they are still used in that
>manner.  The primary purpose of most guns today, and especially certain
>classes of guns, are not to kill animals such as deer and squirrels, but
>to kill people.

I have a substantial collection of guns, no of which are intended for use on 
people.  Intent is something that cannot be ascribed to an inanimate object.

>As a society, we have to determine whether that is something we need and
>want.  There are many people on both sides of this issue.  One group
>feels they should have rights to guns for the antiquated purpose of
>providing sustenance.  

No, we do not.  We feel that we have rights to guns because they are a 
fundamental civil liberty protected by the bill of rights.

>Unfortunately, we live in a violent society.  

True enough.  And the availability of firearms to law-abiding citizens is 
irrelivant to this.

>Guns are everywhere and
>can be obtained quickly and cheaply 

any by the bad guys.  Good guys have to pay a mint and sit out waiting 
periods, be liscenced, etc.  See what good it has done?

>- even by people with bad intentions
>- such as killing people.  Because many bad people have access to guns,
>many good people want access to guns, so they can use the guns in offensive 
                                                                   ^^^^^^^^^
Nope.  DEfensive.

>acts against bad people that are trying to commit offensive acts against 
>them.  They believe, `boy, it would be really great if we didn't need guns, 
>but there are a lot of bad people out there who might try to hurt me and 
>mine, so I need a gun to defend myself and mine against those people.'  You 
>might call it a "practical" approach.

It is a practical approach.  Why the quotes?

>We have a moral dilemma that pits sport enthusiasts and recreational gun
>users - unhappily in bed with a whole lot of bad people who want guns
>for malicious reasons, against a whole lot of people who just wish the
>whole problem would go away and believe that getting rid of the guns
>would get rid of the problem.

No, we do not.  We have a moral delemma pitting the  people who support 
liberty and the rights of individuals against the empowerment of the state.

>So, I encourage the discourse on guns and gun control.  If there is a
>more enlightened, more moral position that society should take, 

Society cannot take positions, only people.
>P.S.  Just for everyone's information, I have two children.  I also
>paid for one abortion.  I don't own any guns, but one of my brothers
>owns about $20,000 worth of guns - for shooting at targets.  Another
>brother owns a couple of guns solely for hunting. 

So why are you so eager to confiscate thier property?

>I'm uncomfortable
>with guns, but I can shoot guns very accurately and precisely (more
>accurately than either of my brothers that own guns).  

-=-=-
T. Archer  PA142548@utkvm1.utk.edu
University of Tennessee
"Vote Dempublican, it's easier than thinking." -- Unknown
-=-=-
Newsgroups: talk.politics.guns,alt.politics.clinton