Seniors with Guns
Amanda's mom got me a copy of Bowling for Columbine on DVD for Christmas, and I watched it with Mom over the past two nights. Aside from renewing my interest in moving to Canada, it made me notice a Christian Science Monitor article on the increasing numbers of seniors carrying concealed weapons. My favorite quote is the last line of the article:
In the end, "the best insurance seniors can have against violent crime is a well-armed citizenry," says Van Vibber, gripping his pistol. "Besides, it's a God-given right."
"Gov-given right" is possibly the worst argument for the repeal of gun control laws that I have ever heard from this guy or any other gun nuts. What the hell kind of a god wants all of his people to have the ability to kill any of his other people instantaneously? I could see a 12-year old kid playing SimGod, but is this the kind of behavior we can expect from an eon-old diety?
January 07, 2004 - 03:04 PM
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Good point AJ
No matter who your higher power may be,
No God could ever grant his people the right
to destroy His greatest creation…”Life”
It’s the same insanity that drives fanatics
to kill in the name of God.Uhhh that’s what
we know as terrorism.
Peace
Uncle Willie
You might want to check out
http://www.politicalusa.com/columnists/schlussel/schlussel_014.htm
…for another look at Bowling for Columbine. Unquestionably a great movie, I’ve been increasingly shaken from my initial fan status by various persistent problems with the veracity of the film. Initially I distrusted most of the sources saying this (patently right-wing sources aren’t exactly my favorite source of information), but stories such as this were wide-spread.
Anyway, the related facts about the necessity of gun control are certainly still valid, and I agree with the ludicrousness of gun possession being a God-given right.
Michael Moore address each of these points at http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/wackoattacko/.
…Not exactly all of the points, but he definitely deals helpfully with some. That’s reassuring.
I believe the whole “God-given right” thing only sounds stupid when it is taken to mean specifically guns and not, say, knives. The origin of the argument is found in political philosophers such as Locke. Basically, if the right for a man to defend himself in general is agreed to, musn’t a man have a right to whatever equipment is required for said defense? When we will the end, we will the means. Needless to say, when the average criminal will have basically guaranteed access to a gun, the only realistic means of defense for a law-abiding citizen is to also carry a gun.
So really, what is being argued is a God-given right to self-defense, with gun ownership being merely one neccessary tool towards accomplishing that end.
Dan wrote:
Unless carrying a gun actually increases the danger to the (law-abiding) person carrying it. Which, when you consider the strength of, say, a 25-year-old attacker compared to that of, say, a 70-year-old victim.