So I have been debating via email with an anti who emailed me through the MM forums. He advocates a total ban on handgun sales to the public.
I can post some of the interesting tidbits of our prior emails upon request, but I thought you all would find his latest piece fascinating. I sure did. Hope you've got antacid nearby....
I don't believe you have any "rights," Strati. In fact, I don't know what "rights" are. There are only actions. I want to live in a gun-free country. I guess that is my "right." You want to live in a country that allows gun ownership. That is your "right." You do not have a universal "right" to own a gun. Hell, you and I don't even have a "right" to vote! I'm glad we currently are able to, though. You don't have a universal "right" to anything. In the United States the 2nd amendment, as currently interpreted by the Supreme Court, gives you the "right" to bear arms.
That "right," however, could be taken away at any time. "Rights" are taken away and bestowed all over the world by different governments at different times for different reasons. Usually the reason for taking away or granting rights is based on utility, like I said before. Once enough people in this country get together and decide that you no longer have the "right" to a handgun, that "right" will be as illegal and immoral as your "right" to own a slave.
Which is not to say I equate owning a handgun with owning a slave, I'm just making a point: Rights are human constructs, and nothing more, and any attempt to prove them otherwise is question begging. There is NO arguing with that. Do you understand that? Do you know anything about morality and rights and things like that? You only have a right to own a gun because we the people, through our elected representatives, have decided that you do. When we decide you don't, you don't. Do you think there's some magical "right" system floating around in the ether? Do you get your "rights" from God?
:banghead: :banghead: :banghead:
I can post some of the interesting tidbits of our prior emails upon request, but I thought you all would find his latest piece fascinating. I sure did. Hope you've got antacid nearby....
I don't believe you have any "rights," Strati. In fact, I don't know what "rights" are. There are only actions. I want to live in a gun-free country. I guess that is my "right." You want to live in a country that allows gun ownership. That is your "right." You do not have a universal "right" to own a gun. Hell, you and I don't even have a "right" to vote! I'm glad we currently are able to, though. You don't have a universal "right" to anything. In the United States the 2nd amendment, as currently interpreted by the Supreme Court, gives you the "right" to bear arms.
That "right," however, could be taken away at any time. "Rights" are taken away and bestowed all over the world by different governments at different times for different reasons. Usually the reason for taking away or granting rights is based on utility, like I said before. Once enough people in this country get together and decide that you no longer have the "right" to a handgun, that "right" will be as illegal and immoral as your "right" to own a slave.
Which is not to say I equate owning a handgun with owning a slave, I'm just making a point: Rights are human constructs, and nothing more, and any attempt to prove them otherwise is question begging. There is NO arguing with that. Do you understand that? Do you know anything about morality and rights and things like that? You only have a right to own a gun because we the people, through our elected representatives, have decided that you do. When we decide you don't, you don't. Do you think there's some magical "right" system floating around in the ether? Do you get your "rights" from God?
:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: