From: Geoff Smith (geoffs@unixg.ubc.ca)
Date: Fri Dec 19 1997 - 23:53:06 MST
On Thu, 18 Dec 1997, Wayne Hayes wrote:
> Brian D Williams <talon57@well.com> writes:
>
> > "A country that wants to
> > be unarmed and free
> > wants what never has
> > been, and never will be."
>
> > Thomas Jefferson
>
> Obviously neither you nor Jefferson have heard of, say, Canada, or most
> of the countries in Western Europe of late. Jefferson has the excuse
> that Western Europe had a substantially different face when he was alive.
> What's yours?
Canada? Well, I live here in fact. Last month, a bunch of 13 year old
girls broke another girl's legs with baseball bats (please note:
baseball bats are sporting equipment, not weapons?) then threw her into a
lake to drown in the small, peaceful town of Victoria, British Columbia.
My point?
a) Anything can be a weapon, you can't get rid of
them, so there's no point in saying "it's too soon to say."
b) Canada is not the peaceful little place you think it is, and the peace
you do see is definitely not the result of a lack of guns. The only way
you can stop people from hurting each other is if you put everyone in
their own padded cell. Guns just make the process less painful for the
victim. (would you rather be shot in the head or stabbed to death?)
Conclusion: There will always be weapons(even if it's just a big rock
off the ground, or your fist), ergo the only way to stay free
is to arm yourself against those who would oppress you.
Geoff.
> You may be right in the long term, but it's too soon to say.
>
>
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