Re: GUNS: Defensive Use

Michael Lorrey (retroman@tpk.net)
Sat, 05 Jul 1997 12:45:18 -0400


Abraham Moses Genen wrote:
>
> Dear Mark and other fellow Extropians,
>
> Wouldn't it make a lot more sense to eliminate the primary causes of crime
> by eliminating poverty and deficient education? Wouldn't it also cost less
> overall in both the short and long term?
>
> A.M. Genen
>
> Happy Independence Day!!!!!

Actually, eliminating deficient education would go a long way toward
eliminating the latter, but there will always be stubbornly ignorant
morons. THis is not just a figure of speech, either, seeing as how I
live in upstate New Hampshire. As educated as most people are in these
parts, there is still a significant minority of hereditary locals who
never travel more than 25 miles from their home, don't finish high
school, and are proud of their "downhome", "salt of the earth" status.

Another big step would be to decriminalize all victimless "crimes".
Doing so would eliminate the social stigma that forces many who
participate in these activites to gain their livihood from further
criminal activity.

Criminal law should not be used to enforce social norms, but to protect
rights. If you want to practice social engineering, do it with the tax
code.

-- 
TANSTAAFL!!!
			Michael Lorrey
------------------------------------------------------------
mailto:retroman@tpk.net		Inventor of the Lorrey Drive
Agent Lorrey@ThePentagon.com
Silo_1013@ThePentagon.com	http://www.tpk.net/~retroman/

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