🚀 go-pugleaf

>Or maybe we could ban guns nationwide (except for the *proper* authorities,
>of course - Nazi Germany could *never* happen here :-> ). Then, we wouldn't
>have a gun problem the way we wouldn't have a drug problem. Not.

	The typical NRA circular logic is tiresome. Try something different.
Try looking at the problem realistically for once. Yes, if guns are banned,
there will be problems with making the ban effective, just like banning
drugs hasn't been effective, and banning drunk driving hasn't been effective.
It's probably too *late* to effectively ban guns because too many of them
are in private hands already, and the techniques for making firearms are
not hard to master - especially in a society like ours where consumer
machine tools are quite affordable.

	How do we solve the problem? I don't know. I *suspect* that any
solution to the problem of gun-related violence in this country is going
to involve increased restrictions on gun use and/or ownership. Certainly,
accountability needs to be increased.

	NRA does us responsible gun owners a disservice by constantly
attempting to polarize the issue into  them:us  oppression:freedom and
so on, and waving the spectre of "Nazi Germany". In fact, their use of
propaganda is amazingly "Nazi Germany-esque". Anyone with a shred of
understanding of military history and terrorism will realize that it
is *not* necessary for a population to be anywhere near as well armed
as we already are, in order to overthrow its government. After all,
Mao Zedong (who wrote a good book on guerilla warfare, which is worth
many, many guns to the would-be rebel) started a rather successful
rebellion in China with a bolt-action rifle, 3 shotguns, and a Webley
revolver.

	In short, don't just babble the usual part line. We (Americans)
need to reach a sensible solution to the gun/violence problem. The
problem with the total ban or total freedom approaches is that they are
too absolute. With the irresponsibility so many people show towards
guns, it's quite likely that restrictions *are* on the horizon. Frankly,
I hope they are, and I can live with them. HCI and NRA are trying so
hard to be opposite poles - it's like going to court: one party has
to win, and one party has to lose. I believe that a legislative
initiative that mandates personal accountability for irresponsible
gun use and irresponsible gun dealing, coupled with a rational and
nationally consistent policy would go a long way.

mjr.
-- 
        Failure science requires intelligence. Any goddamn fool can shoot
his foot off, but doing it with common kitchen ingredients, while attempting
to make a cake, is very difficult.
						-Failure Science