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From: wbpesch@ihuxp.UUCP (Walt Pesch)
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Gun Control again... A Position Paper
Message-ID: <801@ihuxp.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 21-Jul-84 15:28:20 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihuxp.801
Posted: Sat Jul 21 15:28:20 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 22-Jul-84 03:31:25 EDT
References: <859@pucc-h> <898@pyuxa.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
Lines: 33

I still don't see a reason for the storing of a gun in your home.  I
can agree with the sportsman wanting to go out and hunt (though I
personally can't see the fun in killing from three-quarters of a mile
away.)  But we don't need to keep this at home anyway, it can be kept
safely under control at a local place (i.e. the local Police
Station.)  This is also true for the Target Shootist.

As to the argument of needing it for self-protection, I personally
would never see a reason for pulling a gun on a bergular.  If the  mug
has a gun, he will have it out, and he will psychologically be ready
to use it.  Meanwhile, I sit their in my nightclothes groping in the
nightstand for my .38.  BOOM.  I'd rather lose a little in wealth than
my life.  Anyway, I have insurance.

Lastly, there is the problems of both accidental firing and also the
use of the gun in anger.  How many stories does one hear of little
Jonnie blowing his friends away while there playing Dirty Harry.  And
neither do I want it used in an argument that gets out of hand on me
by my spouse.

Therefor: my proposal is to allow private ownership of rifles and
target shooting handguns as long as it is kept at the local Police
Station, and must be checked out for your weekend of hunting or the
day of skeet shooting.  And also put an automatic five-year
imprisonment doing hard-labor for anyone that has a gun outside of the
previous guidelines.  I believe that a Bergular wouldn't carry a gun
except to protect himself from the crazed Homeowner/Vigillante,
especially when it led to a long time automatically in the slammer.


Walt Pesch
AT&T Technologies
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