I don't want to engage in a kneejerk response, even though this is a
hot-button topic for many.
I used to feel something like the way you seem to. However, I changed my
mind. Please read on.
On Tue, 16 Dec 1997, Wings of the Morning wrote:
> save thousands upon thousands of lives. What about the tragic stories of
> children getting ahold of guns. The UN peace keeper shot down in Africa by a
> small boy weilding a gun, who didn't even know any better. Perhaps you,
> yourself, are a responsible firearm owner, congrats, but for every gun that
> falls into the hands of a responsible owner many more fall into the hands of
> irresponsible owners. Do you think that gangs would be as previlent today if
With respect, the numbers available don't show that at all.
Since you obviously feel very deeply about this, perhaps you won't mind if
I respond to your story about the little kid with a story about another
kind of victim.
***WARNING***: the following description is not for the fainthearted.
Are you familiar with the case of the 15-year-old girl who was hitchiking,
and was picked up by a man--well, genus Homo sapiens--who raped her
repeatedly and brutally *after* hacking both her forearms off?
Do you know that according to the evidence, that "man" left her to die
iwht her raw stumps still bleeding--and while in his car, masturbated with
one of the sawn-off hands while he shoved the fingers fingers of the other
up his anus?
She's still alive, seriously traumatized, and the "man" is, after getting
out of jail, now being prosecuted for a brutal home invasion and slashing
assault/rape/murder of another woman.
**********
Forget about children for just a moment. Are you telling me that no women
should have any recourse to defend themselves against someone stronger?
Someone trying to hack their arms off and let them bleed to death?
Someone carving their chest into a bloody puddle of ribbons?
Please think this through, it's tough when you feel strongly, but try to
feel like those women for a moment. Could you tell yourself that your
death was right and good because it shouldn't have ever happened?
> intelligence, compromise, rather than by shear force, death, and fear. If
> we, as an intelligent people, are never able to come together to resolve
> conflict in a peaceful manner, than I've given up all hope.
As I mentioned above, I was depressed by this prospect, too--for many
years. I figured things out for myself, over about five years.
It doesn't depress me quite so much any more, because I know what I'm
willing to die for. This isn't braggadocio, no matter what it sounds like
to others. Knowing what I'm willing to die for doesn't mean I'm eager to
die, nor to kill. And I have managed to resolve conflict in a peaceful
manner even when guns were available. And if I ever needed to deal with
someone like that "man", I know I'd do my best with whatever I had.
The world needs all sort of people, doesn't it? Including ones who can
trust each other with things that can be misapplied?
Some folks I know came up with a trademarked slogan,
"Visualize Armed Peace".
It belongs right next to another bumper sticker:
"War is over--if you want it."
I find nothing to fault in either sentiment.
Peace,
MMB