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From: wberg@ihuxq.UUCP (W. W. Berg)
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: Social Responsibility: (Socialist Responsibility ?)
Message-ID: <1070@ihuxq.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 24-Jul-84 09:14:24 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihuxq.1070
Posted: Tue Jul 24 09:14:24 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 28-Jul-84 00:16:14 EDT
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
Lines: 27

In regard to the recent (like this morning, when i saw it) article
which somehow evolved from a "gun control" discussion: first, let
me point out that, although I am not an NRA member, nor a true blue
GUN enthusiast (I prefer a 65 lb compound bow), I am an extreme right-wing
John Bircher (Alice Fall's chapter, in Winetka, Ill.) and I am fed full
of "Social Responsibility", particularly Social Responsibility which is 
CAPITALIZED.  Falls kill more people in the U. S. each year than guns,
but I haven't seen any movement to outlaw high places.
     My interest in guns is twofold: I support the constitutional 
right of the people to keep and bear (that means "carry") arms, and
I am mildly interested in exterior ballistics.
     But I ask, if guns are outlawed because they are dangerous, when
will knives be outlawed (and how will I cut my cheese then) ? Later,
can't the outlawing of all dangerous objects be possible.
     The U. S. Constitution limits the government's power to interfere
with the rights of the people.  In the "Wild West" people were more free
than they are now, there was LESS crime (really !), and I think
people were happier (except for occasional famines, plagues, etc.).
     Generally, outlawing things doesn't improve conditions. Manditory
"Social Responsibility" won't make the earth a paradise as Dewey, Marx,
and V. I. Ulyanov preach. Why then not allow each of us to go his own
way, unmolested by the law.  That includes the right to own weapons,
but also implies that those who misuse them must suffer the judgement
of their fellow citizens. That is: Punish the criminal for his crimes,
not all of us, nor the instrument, i.e. the weapon.
                                 "the paranoiacs are out to get me"
                                  W. Berg  ihnp4!ihuxq!wberg