Can't we all just get along

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WAGCEVP

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'PUT THE GUNS DOWN' WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER, AND TOGETHER WE CAN WIN

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The rash of deadly shootings plaguing Toronto was played out last Monday afternoon in the Scarborough Highland Creek neighbourhood where I live. That occurrence, described as a drive-by shooting, happened just around the corner from my house.

The injured young man drove himself to a home not far from the scene, where residents then called police.

Now there are signs in my neighbourhood, posted on telephone poles and utility boxes, with slogans that read: "Create peace in your neighbourhood," "Fight for peace in your neighbourhood" and "Put the guns down."

Last year, there were 65 homicides in Toronto. So far, only 32 arrests have been made. And while guns and gang violence have been responsible for the majority of killings, others have died by other violent means, such as stabbing.

Also troubling is that in addition to the number of unsolved murders in the past year, there are crimes which occurred as long as four years ago for which the perpetrators remain free.

A few hours before last Monday's shooting in my neighbourhood, family members of Godfrey Dunbar, the victim of an unsolved Dec. 29, 1999 nightclub killing, held a vigil at the cemetery where he is buried. A day earlier, the family of Richard Brown, the other victim in that shooting, visited his grave at another cemetery.

Andrea Dunbar, who has in the past made public appeals for information that could lead to the capture of her brother's killer, or killers, was quoted as saying: "Every day, we relive losing a father, a brother; my mother has lost her only son. It never gets better. It only gets worse."

And Dunbar's 12-year-old daughter said, "Guns should be banned. They are hurting too many people."

TOO MANY LIVES LOST

Rev. Audley James, pastor at Revivaltime Tabernacle, commenting on the growing gun violence in Toronto, said: "Our city cannot continue. Too many lives have been lost, too many young men and women with great potential have been gunned down."

"We're all very worried about guns," says David Miller, Toronto's new mayor. "I think people need to know if they use a gun in Toronto, they are going to get caught and they are going to go to jail."

However, too many of the perpetrators of these gun crimes are not being caught. Very often communities - particularly the black community - are blamed for not coming forward with information that could help some of these investigations. That's not always true. Even the police at times report they have been getting help from the community. But to expect every member of the community to have the information that would lead to an arrest is unreasonable.

It's also unthinkable that 500 people in a nightclub where a shooting occurs could each have the answers to finger the shooter. The majority of people at such an event are there to party. And they are doing so among friends, in different areas and possibly floor levels.

Yes, there are people who certainly would have information. But they most likely would be among that small group with connections to the criminals. They are the ones most unlikely to give up their partners in crime.

The majority of us are law-abiding people who abhor violence and criminal activity. We do the best to protect ourselves and our families from being victims, or perpetrators, of crime. We demonstrate our support for law and order, live exemplary lives and make positive contributions that benefit all of society.

Toronto Police Chief Julian Fantino, reacting to the dramatic rise in gun crimes said: "If there was ever a time for partnerships, this is it. We're all living in the same community. We're all obviously caring about the same issues and we're all looking and striving to accomplish a level of safety and security that we're all entitled to have."

He's right. And as the posters around the corner from my house say, "Put the guns down" and "Create peace in your (our) neighbourhood."
 
Put the guns down and you will not be able to defend peace.

Pick up a gun and defend it against those who are the enemy.

Be good in all you do, and do not lash out against the good man with a gun just because you are unable to see him as the good man he is. For he is your friend and savior in times of need and does not deserve your scorn.


If you are unable to grasp this; you are doomed to be victims of the criminal evil that lives in your towns and cities, and will never live in peace or achieve freedom.
 
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The issue of gun control is a classic example of "political correctness" seen in its entirety.

PC requires total subjection to the notion that there is no right or wrong, no good or bad, that all people's opinions have validity and that no one at any time should ever be judgmental about the behavior of others because no one is ever responsible for his behavior. We are all products of our environment. As such we have no ability to choose our behavior or to control our actions. We have been raised by "the village"; but we may not blame the village as it is made up of those that we may not be judgemental about. But the village is the sum of its reality, animate and inanimate. But there is no distinction allowed between anything that is animate: "a dog is a cow is a pig is a boy" (loosely quoted) We are all the same; fellow travelers without guilt or responsibility as it where.

So it follows that objects, rather than people must be blamed as causitive factors. There is no behavior good or bad; only tools or causitive factors for things we disaprove of. We may not criticize animates, so we transfer blame to inanimates. Most likely because they are mute, and unable to defend themselves. Which, to me, is the ultimate hypocracy. Blame that which is unable to defend itself. It is safe and causes no guilt, shame or personal responsibilty. To do so also is the ultimate comedy because if you apply logic to that rationale it becomes, in the end, illogical.

The greatest joke is that the illogical rationale described above is not only taught in our institutions of "higher learning", but is demanded upon pain of expulsion. It is proudly worn as a banner by our "best and brightest".


:barf:
 
And the problem is?

WildcuriousAlaska

You don't really think that a violence-free utopia like this child dreams of is possible in the least, do you?

Sure its nice to dream, and the Lord of the Rings movies are real fun too...but that doesn't mean we should look to fantasies for ideas to use in the real world....
 
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