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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!genrad!grkermit!masscomp!kobold!tjt
From: tjt@kobold.UUCP (T.J.Teixeira)
Newsgroups: net.flame,net.politics
Subject: Re: More on Handguns
Message-ID: <189@kobold.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 29-Oct-83 17:23:45 EST
Article-I.D.: kobold.189
Posted: Sat Oct 29 17:23:45 1983
Date-Received: Thu, 3-Nov-83 07:51:29 EST
References: <408@ihuxb.UUCP>, <186@kobold.UUCP> <1339@utcsstat.UUCP>
Organization: Masscomp, Littleton, MA
Lines: 41

utcsstat!laura asks:
    do you agree that:
    
    1: it will be possible to get a handgun even if they are banned?
	    (remember that they are banned here, and I can get one)
    
    2: banning handguns are a restriction of liberty?
    
    3: banning them will create a lot of expensive work for the people (such as
       the police) who will get set to the task of catching handgun owners?

1) No doubt it will be possible to get a handgun even if they are
   banned.  It's possible to get lots of things that are illegal (drugs,
   alcohol during Prohibition).  However, making something illegal
   *does* make it more difficult to obtain.  If guns are more difficult
   to obtain, fewer people will have guns, so fewer people will be
   killed by guns.

2. Banning handguns is a restriction of liberty.  All laws are a
   restriction of liberty.  However, your freedom to swing your hand should
   end before it reaches my nose.  You feel that very few things are
   worth the cost of any restriction to liberty.  The entire handgun
   question is essentially deciding whether banning handguns is worth
   that loss of liberty.  Saving lives is certainly a justifiable
   reason for restricting liberty.

3. Banning handguns may be expensive, but it is an expense I would not
   object to.

Yes, I am aware of the tradeoffs that Laura mentions.  I agree that we
should add them all up and consider if it is worth the cost.

However, arguments like Allen England's imply that it cannot be worth
the cost unless banning handguns is 100% effective in preventing deaths
caused by handguns.

I claim that banning handguns should only have to show a net profit in
lives and not effect 100% savings.
-- 
	Tom Teixeira,  Massachusetts Computer Corporation.  Littleton MA
	...!{harpo,decvax,ucbcad,tektronix}!masscomp!tjt   (617) 486-9581