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From: kdp@hplabs.UUCP (Ken Poulton)
Newsgroups: net.followup
Subject: Re: Re Handguns and responsibility
Message-ID: <1818@hplabs.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 2-Sep-83 14:25:49 EDT
Article-I.D.: hplabs.1818
Posted: Fri Sep  2 14:25:49 1983
Date-Received: Sat, 3-Sep-83 17:38:30 EDT
References: <325@csin.UUCP> <666@ihuxf.UUCP>
Organization: Hewlett Packard Labs, Palo Alto CA
Lines: 16

Robert Parnass claims:

	A previous submission asserts that there is no "responsible" reason
	for private ownership of handguns.

	In a free society, we shouldn't have to justify private ownership of items
	to you or anyone else.

I disagree most vehemently.  Society *always* has the right, even
responsibility, to pass laws protecting the general welfare.
Private ownership of a sofa: well, who cares?  Of a car: this
is a potentially dangerous item, so we license drivers.  Of handguns:
this is a weapon whose main use is to kill people.  Certainly we
*must* regulate these.  

Ken Poulton    HP Labs    ...hplabs!kdp