What are we unaware of...?

[Nick1911]

This thread makes me wonder what kind of things we, as sorta the general population, don't know much about. In that thread Werewolf expressed that he was dumbfounded that people were shocked that ordinary people can carry concealed firearms.

So what kind of things, political issues or otherwise, do we [in general; I know this is broad] know little about? Like what might someone say that one of us would go "No... I didn't know that!" and the other party would think that was common knowledge.

Any personal experiences?

Nick

 

[Dorrin79]

People, in general, have no idea what the AWB actually did / does.

A small group of fellow smokers at work (none of whom were particularly anti or leftist) were absolutely shocked to discover that the AWB didn't ban full-auto weapons, that it was 'grandfathered', and that assault rifles in general are not fully-automatic.

I also got in a good crack about 'drive-by bayonetings'

I doubt I changed their minds, necessarily, but a couple of them were like "well, then, what's the point of the law", which is at least a start.

 

[Treylis]

No personal experiences, but I'd definitely put things pertaining to citizen's arrest on this list.

 

[Nick1911]

No personal experiences, but I'd definitely put things pertaining to citizen's arrest on this list.

Ah! That's the kind of stuff I'm looking for! Can you tell me a website that has info about is, seeing as I'm pretty unfamiliar with what can and cannot be done?

Nick

 

[Quartus]

Check your state's website for links to the actual code - you'll get a lot of misinformation otherwise.

No, don't expect a cop to know the law on this - they can't know everything, and IME this is a big blind spot for them.


(I hope my experience is the exception.)


As for what we don't know.....


I try to be widely read, but I'm wierd. I do things like reading the encyclopedia and the dictionary just for fun. I know a little about a lot, and a lot about a little.

 

[geekWithA.45]

What folks are unaware of:


-That very little is the .gov's rightful biz to know
-That the Bill of Rights has 10 Amendments consisting of 32 clauses, most of which are in disrepair
-That the Powers of Government are granted by the People, and are strictly limited to what is enumerated.
-That the states and the People retain all natural rights and powers not explicitly granted.
-That juries have the right to judge both the facts of the case and the justice of the law itself.
-That you can (and arguably should) "just say no", when an agent of the .gov asks permission to search you, your car, or anything else pertaining to you. (How can it EVER be in your interest?)

Well, that oughta do for starters.

 

[Linux&Gun Guy]

In texas owning a flask is illegal without a permit. Don't see anything in the constitution about governmental power to regulate some shapes of glass.

Heres the deadly child killer:

 

[one45auto]

Things that most people in this country are ignorant of? Hmmm...

1) That the United States of America is a Constitutional Republic, not a democracy.

2) That the phrase "separation of Church and State" appears nowhere in the Constitution. The sole purpose of the First Amendment, with respect to religion, was to prevent the new American government from creating a state Church with the President as it's leader in much the same manner that the King of England was the head of the Church of England. Yet today many seem to read "freedom of religion" as freedom from religion.

3) That the War for Southern Independence, or Civil War as it is most commonly known, was not fought over slavery. (This is another one of the myths that has been so pervasively taught that it is hard to combat.)

There are others, but these are the three I encounter most often.

 

[Joey2]

The original interpretation of the 1st Amendment of "Freedom of Speech" was meant for political speech not the right to print, televise, or record the smut put over the airwaves under this amendment.

 

[Sean T]

That most modern airplanes (747s, 767s) land without the aid of a pilot, the pilots get it into position and let the computer do the rest. I was pretty surprised, I thought that all planes were landed manually.

That New Mexico is a part of the U.S. and not Mexico.

There are 50 states, not 52.

 

[AZLibertarian]

That most modern airplanes (747s, 767s) land without the aid of a pilot, the pilots get it into position and let the computer do the rest. I was pretty surprised, I thought that all planes were landed manually.

As an airline pilot with over 20 years of experience, I'll tell you this is false. The vast majority of modern airliners can land via the autopilot, but I'd wager that 99% of the landings are handled manually by the pilot. It is typically only when the weather is exceptionally bad that the autopilot will be on during the landing.

There are 50 states, not 52.

This is a trick question, and I don't know the exact answer, but there are not 50 states. We have a handful of 'states' that consider themselves "Commonwealths" (Virginia and Pennsylvania are two, I believe).

 

[The_Antibubba]

Signal to Noise ratio

We have long passed the point where any of us know even half of what is going on. I can easily spend 4 hours a night online (mostly at THR). if I'm fortunate, I get to ready the entire paper each day; I used to try to read two or three. I own a television, but in the 15 months I've had it, I still haven't plugged it in. There's a part of me that hopes martial law is declared so I can stay home and read all the books I've bought. I spend time here because I learn a lot here, and because it inspires me.

Can you imagine if I had kids, or if I cared who would win on Apprentice/Survivor/American Idol, or was already going to law school? Geez, I don't even know what I don't know anymore.

Someone please PM me if the world ends.

 

[c_yeager]

Sheaple that i meet on a daily basis have no IDEA what it actually means to "sue" someone. Nor do they have any concept of what is actually "illegal" or not.

I cannot even count the people that have threatened to "sue" me or have me "arrested" for "being a jerk", "being rude", "not kissing their butt".

I swear this whole "the customer is always right" thing has gotten WAY out of hand. THe "customer" is actually starting to believe that they have some kind of constitutional right to being "right" regardless of how big an idiot they may be.

 

[Greg L]

Jury nullification.

Widespread knowledge of how to apply it would start to turn the tide on lots of problems out there. Of course the people with any knowledge of it are also the first to be excluded from any jury duty.

 

[Shazbat]

This is a trick question, and I don't know the exact answer, but there are not 50 states. We have a handful of 'states' that consider themselves "Commonwealths" (Virginia and Pennsylvania are two, I believe).

Massachusetts is a Commonwealth.

 

[Shazbat]

Some whiny anti was on the radio last night complaining that 'once the AWB goes away, anybody will be able to go into WalMart and buy an UZI'



1) WalMart wouldn't sell them anyway
2) They're not illegal now, you can walk into a MA gunshop and buy an UZI
3) MA licensing requirements still wouldn't go away, so it's not 'just anyone'

 

[Tinker]

One I hear a lot is "It' illegal for civilians to own a machine gun (full auto) in the US."

I know this is false. I used to know this man a few years ago who legally owned a full auto rifle. It was called an M14. It was just like the one he'd been issued and carried in Viet Nam. He had to jump through a bunch of hoops (money, time, and background checks) to get it. But he did.

 

[Chipperman]

Well Tinker, there are many people on this board who legally own machine guns. So you know more than just one.

Shazbat,
The big problem with counetering the Uzi argument that way, is that those people will not realize the Uzi you are talking about is NOT full-auto.

 

[ctdonath]

- What a "commonwealth" state is.
- Where & how much land in the USA is free/uncontrolled/unlimited-access/no-permission-needed.
- How to get by without using a social security number ('cept for social security purposes).
- What vehicles (land, air, water) need not be licensed.
- How to file a court case, representing yourself

I've been looking for answers to these.

 

[rritter]

one45auto said:

2) That the phrase "separation of Church and State" appears nowhere in the Constitution. The sole purpose of the First Amendment, with respect to religion, was to prevent the new American government from creating a state Church with the President as it's leader in much the same manner that the King of England was the head of the Church of England. Yet today many seem to read "freedom of religion" as freedom from religion.

Another thing that most people don't realize about that part of the first amendment is that it was also intended to prevent the federal government from DIS-establishing the official state churches that some of the colonies already had.

Roger

 

[Quartus]

Of course the people with any knowledge of it are also the first to be excluded from any jury duty.

I've never read anything on the subject (other than comments like yours) and I intend to carefully avoid doing so.


I've read the FF and the Constitution. That's all I need.


And when the judge or lawyer asks, I will truthfully answer, "Yes, I've heard of it. No, I have never read any literature on jury nullification. I saw a pamphlet once, but it looked kind of whacko, so I didn't open it. I tossed it in the trash."



All perfectly true.

 

[Chuck Dye]

deleted due to second thoughts

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