Geoff Smith wrote:
>
> 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.
> >
> >
-- The future has arrived; it's just not evenly distributed. -William Gibson ______________________________________________________________________ Visit Hypermart at http://www.hypermart.net for free business hosting!