Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site cadovax.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!whuxl!whuxlm!harpo!decvax!ittvax!dcdwest!sdcsvax!sdcrdcf!trwrb!trwrba!cadovax!brent From: brent@cadovax.UUCP (Brent Rector) Newsgroups: net.politics,net.flame,net.legal Subject: Re: Re: Personal Defense Message-ID: <569@cadovax.UUCP> Date: Wed, 24-Apr-85 19:39:20 EST Article-I.D.: cadovax.569 Posted: Wed Apr 24 19:39:20 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 27-Apr-85 03:34:41 EST References: <350@idis.UUCP> <497@abnji.UUCP> <572@ahuta.UUCP> <498@lll-crg.ARPA> <419@utai.UUCP> <> Reply-To: brent@cadovax.UUCP (Brent Rector) Organization: Contel Cado, Torrance, CA Lines: 47 Xref: watmath net.politics:8684 net.flame:9523 net.legal:1606 In article jordan@greipa.UUCP (Jordan K. Hubbard) writes: >but I'd bet money on the fact that less people are killed with guns >(accidently or deliberately) in the midwestern states than the east >or west coast (and I'd also bet that the ratio of guns to population is >at least twice as high in the midwest). When I lived in Colorado as a young >boy I had gun safety hammered into my head nine ways to tuesday (I lived >in a very rural area). Woe betide the kid whose weapon accidently discharged! >I never heard of any incidents, but I'm sure the kid would have been >excommunicated. As one who grew up on the Indiana/Kentucky border I have to agree with the above statement. Most of my relatives (who are mostly 'country folk') not only have multiple guns but also know how to use them. Rather than being off limits to the kids (of reasonable age, say 10 & older, more later) we were taught EXTREME respect for all weapons and how to safely handle them. To this day I cannot handle a gun without first checking whether or not it's loaded (no matter what the person handing it to me says), and leaving it open (for example in the case of a shotgun) until I'm ready to use it. As for as my above statement about kids 10 and older being able to responsibly handle a weapon, I'm not saying anyone 10+ can handle a gun safely. I know some adults who can't. Personally I can't recall when I first fired a gun so I would guess I was younger than 10 but always under adult supervision till about then. However to this day (I'm 30) I have never owned a gun personally. Mainly because I have no use for one. I could go on but basicly I support the philosophy that when it comes down to it, everyone must be responsible for their own life. This includes providing for shelter, food, safety, etc. While life may be easier if people team up to help each other, if I am not willing to provide for my own needs, why should I expect someone else to provide for mine when they have their own to take care of. The idea that since some people misuse guns, guns should be taken away from everyone leads to if X is harmful to some, X should be restricted in some way. I believe this could be carried out to dangerous extremes. Guns are dangerous, restrict guns. Cars are dangerous, restrict cars (speeds, composition, etc) People are dangerous, restrict people. :-) -------------------------------------------------------------- Brent E. Rector - CONTEL CADO, Torrance, CA { decvax, hplabs, ihnp4, ucbvax, sdcrdcf }!trwrb!cadovax!brent philabs!cadovax!brent