Where do you stand on, "The Shooting"?

Thank You Br. John....Agreed
Good to hear from you....We'll continue our prayers........And I think I can speak for everyone when I say that is great news......We're happy your grandmother will be returing home safely. MTFBWY

it is good to hear from you brother john i am glad things are looking up. i hope all is well MTFBWY.

Jidun, I am in total agreement with you thus far in the conversation. There is really not much I can add to the argument here, and ultimately this whole thread will have no impact on the actual outcome in society, or possibly even in the views of others reading it, but thats not the point really anyways. The facts remain, the more freedoms we are willing to give away to the government, the more they are gonna take.

DK

Perhaps I was a little ill-tempered when I replied last, and if I was I am indeed sorry. My heart does indeed go out to the families of those who fell on that day. And please bare in mind when and if you read this post that I am not attempting to enguage in an altercation with anybody and should you feel I should not being posting... posts such as the following, please let me know and I will do everything I can to not post in such a fasion anymore.

With all of that said and out of the way...

This is indeed a topic I perhaps am a little too passionate about. Weapons are there for one thing... to kill. And regardless of you are a sport hunter or not, killing is killing. And there is no need for it. People who say they are buying guns for \"protection\" are only fuelling the fire that is hate and fear, which we as Members of the Jedi Order know is not the way to light. I am not saying that wanting to protect those close to you is wrong in any way, shape or form, but there are better alternatives then weapons. It is a vicious cycle that is hard to escape.

Criminals carry pistols because police have them. Police start carrying semi-auto's, and criminals will carry automatics. It is a neverending cycle of who has the bigger gun, and with the ease that people can access them it is no wonder that people are resorting to killing one another over senseless spats and snuffing out innocents along the way.

I truly do sympathize with those who lost children, siblings, and friends on that dark day, and any other time where genocide was the end result of a pithy debate or altercation. However, if you want to stop this from happening again... lay down your weapons and get along with one another. If you do not get along with your fellow man, then simply come to an understanding and simply do not speak to or about the other person.

I, once again, apologize if I seem maltempered. I am at peace. I just wish people would see the bigger picture, and that is what I am attempting to accomplish with post such as this.

May the force be with you all.

Most of us do see the bigger picture, and it would be great if such a utopia that you speak of could exist, but it can't and won't. There will always be disagreements, arguments and fights somewhere. There will always be someone willing to do the unthinkable to get their point across. It is unfortunate yes, but inevitable. I do wonder what better defense for your family there is than a weapon, when a weapon is what is threatening your family? Maybe you can help us on that one. I believe that criminals began the escalation of force so to speak back with the tommy gun. Police only had pistols back then, to start with atleast. With every new invention, there will be someone attempting to do criminal activity with it, that is the criminal mind. Look at the internet, not meant to be a weapon, but when used by criminals can facilitate statatory rape, theft and fraud to name a few. In reality it doesn't matter what \"weapons\" are available, criminals will do criminal activity.

DK

Indeed, It's inherent in their nature. but it is also possible to overcome...but only by themselves....thats why its called \"self\" discipline.

Very true, but they have to want to overcome also, and they usually have to get caught before they even begin to see the light of day.

DK

Indeed, that is and unfortunate general truth of criminals.

Criminals carry pistols because police have them. Police start carrying semi-auto's, and criminals will carry automatics.

Dhagon Krayt is right. Your statement Br Houro is reversed. Police started carrying semi-auto weapons in response to those used by the criminal element. The LA bank robbery some time back is a good example. Police had .38 cal service revolvers and 9mm semi-auto Berrettas and the robbers were using AK-47s. The police had to go into local gun stores to get higher powered weapons to stop these guys, that were dressed in full body armor, from continuing their reign of terror and shooting of civilians and police officers.
That being said, I agree that there are people that have no right owning a firearm. They may be adults, but not mature enough to carry or use a firearm. We will never be able to stop the criminals from getting guns. If they want one bad enough, they will get one. Taking guns away is not the answer. Lets say we took all the firearms away, then what? People start using kitchen knives as weapons to commit their senseless crimes. Are we then going to take all the kitchen knives for the protection of the people? If someone wants to hurts, kill, or whatever, they will use whatever they can get their hands on. Just remember, Guns don't kill people. People kill people.

I received this in an email yesterday; I thought it was appropriate to post it here, although I haven't verified it yet...

Australian Guns Law Update!
Date: Sat, 31 Mar 2007 06:37:44 +0000

Here's a thought to warm some of your hearts...
From: Ed Chenel, A police officer in Australia:

Hi Yanks, I thought you all would like to see the real figures from Down Under.
It has now been 12 months since gun owners in Australia were forced by a new law to surrender
640,381 personal firearms to be destroyed by our own government, a program costing Australia taxpayers more than $500 million dollars.

The first year results are now in:

Australia-wide, homicides are up 6.2 percent

Australia-wide, assaults are up 9.6 percent

Australia-wide, armed robberies are up 44 percent (yes, 44 percent)!

In the state of Victoria alone, homicides with firearms are now up 300 percent.

(Note that while the law-abiding citizens turned them in,
The criminals did not and criminals still possess their guns!)

While figures over the previous 25 years showed a steady decrease in armed robbery with firearms,
This has changed drastically upward in the past 12 months,
Since the criminals now are guaranteed that their prey is unarmed.
There has also been a dramatic increase in break-ins and assaults of the elderly,
While the resident is at home.

Australian politicians are at a loss to explain how public safety has decreased,
After such monumental effort and expense was expended in
\"successfully ridding Australian society of guns.\"

You won't see this on the American evening news or hear your governor or members
Of the State Assembly disseminating this information.

The Australian experience speaks for itself.
Guns in the hands of honest citizens save lives and property and, yes,
Gun-control laws affect only the law-abiding citizens.

Take note Americans, before it's too late!

FORWARD TO EVERYONE ON YOUR EMAIL LIST.
DON'T BE A MEMBER OF THE SILENT MAJORITY.
BE ONE OF THE VOCAL MINORITY WHO WON'T LET THIS HAPPEN IN THE U.S.A.