It's Killing Me

February 20, 2001

By J. Michael

You've all heard it said "guns don't kill people. People, kill people". Now, I'm not out to offend anyone, but I'll tell you straight out, this email will probably sound a bit harsh, as it will certainly be blunt regarding the issue of guns and rights.

America is a country of freedom. Well, it was intended to be that way. However, as we advance beyond the year 2000, I think we have less and less freedom and it's killing us as a nation. Originally, we had the right to bear arms (weapons, guns etc). However, at the current rate, it won't be long before the freedom to bear arms (body parts) will be taken away.

Have I got you confused yet? Look, guns don't take people's lives. People take the lives of other people, and they are taking my sanity along with! Assault is a behavior, not a device.

I don't own a gun (except for the antique BB gun I inherited from grandpa!), so I'm not here to go off the deep end in order to protect a gun collection that I don't have. I do however still have the freedom of speech (I wonder how long that will last). So I'd like to use that freedom to possibly encourage others to save some of our other freedoms.

Gun control is one thing, freedom control is another. Think about this. How many thieves and murderers purchase their guns at the local gun shops? How much good is it to continue to put tighter restrictions on the gun shops..and also on the average citizen who buys from the local gun shop? If "the bad guy" wants a gun, it doesn't matter what laws are put in place, they'll continue to obtain guns, exactly how they do so today...ILLEGALLY. Just like drugs, all done on the black market. The problem is, start increasing black market gun deals, and you'll increase the murder rate. Ever heard of a drug deal gone bad? What would happen if a "gun deal" went bad?

I'm not saying we should let everyone have guns. I am saying that taking away the freedom of average American citizens is only going to make things a lot worse. Taking away the freedom of the public does not help anyone. It goes back to the whole issue of improperly treating a symptom, while in the meantime the problem gets worse. The short answer is we need government reform, not American public reform.

Those who continue to believe that government will fix all your problems, and that government is responsible for everything are basically killing themselves. You don't know what is good for yourself anymore because you've let government tell you what they think is good for you, and now you can't think for yourself.

Let me give you an example that may sound extreme, but if you have any control over your own thoughts any more, it may actually make a little sense!

If America views guns as a killing device, and decides to ban them, then what are the next logical steps? Killers begin to obtain their guns on the black market, but in addition, the problem compounds, because now, knives will be used more often as a murder weapon. I guess we'll have to outlaw knives too, including butter knives (which students haven't been able to use in the lunchroom cafeteria for years...but last I checked, a pen was much more dangerous than a plastic butter knife). In any case, you go down the line...knives, saws, axes, shovels, pens, pencils, pretty soon, it's illegal to own anything. Because you see, no matter what you take away from people, the one thing they still have is the freedom to act. Eventually, we have nothing left but our own bodies. If someone wants to kill, they will do it, no matter what their weapon is. So then the murderer will begin to use their hands to strangle, I guess the only solution is to begin cutting off the hands of everyone. Only, we have no knives or saws to cut them off with, so what do we do?

I mentioned that it's the freedom to act, that allows the murderer to murder. So will it now be suggested that we take away that freedom of human choice, to act, to move? I suppose some intelligent psychologist somewhere would say that indeed, this is our solution.

Well, I propose we stop doing what our current justice system is doing. They are taking away the freedom of the innocent and giving it to the criminals. Face it, it's a point of motivation. What is my motivation anymore to start a business in America when the taxes are outrageous, the paperwork is never ending and the legal process is a twisted web that will get you no matter what you do.

We are literally motivating a certain number of people in this country to murder and commit heavy crimes. They have it much better in the prison system then out on the streets. They have more freedom, and more luxury in prison than the most upscale shelters offer. Many of these criminals are poor, either in shelters, or subsidized homes, living lives of poverty. So our country does one of two things, both of which are devastating to our economy, our freedom, our integrity and our society as a whole.
The two options are, give them free money and food (welfare), or give them an even better luxury in our prison system.

Back to motivation. Stop motivating crime in this country. I imagine most of you will refuse to believe that we are doing something so stupid as a society. Well, look around, this country is doing lots of stupid things, from killing millions of unborn babies to letting "pimps" run the white house and taking God out of our school systems. (If you don't think removing prayer from school had any negative effects, just look at the decline in our society since that law took place in 1962 and '63.) Rather than motivate crime, we need to have harsher first time sentences, and then stick with them.

Why are we giving some lady millions of dollars when she spills coffee on herself? Look at how the number if insane lawsuits of increase since that one! Our justice system needs an overhaul. Rather then slapping people on the wrist and letting them loose, or rather then sticking them up in a fine place to live with cable TV, a weight room, 3 hot meals a day and release time, let's cram them in tiny cells where they are miserable. Let's cut off the hands of the thief, rather then the hands of the innocent to prevent thieving. Let's motivate criminals to STOP committing crime rather then doing just the opposite.

Let me have the right to protect myself and my family from a criminal, rather then giving the criminal the right to murder me and then sue my family as he injures himself leaving the crime scene. Do you think these things don't happen? Maybe you need to take a closer look at the court records. They happen all the time!

Wake up America, You are Killing Yourself.

- Stuff At The Bottom! -

If guns cause crime,
then pencils cause misspelled words.

If you don't know your rights,
you don't have any.

The United States Constitution (C) 1791.
All Rights Reserved.

64,999,987 firearm owners killed no one yesterday.

Know guns, know peace and safety;
No guns, no peace nor safety.

You don't shoot to kill;
you shoot to stay alive.

If guns cause crime,
then matches cause arson.

Criminals love gun control.
It makes their job easier and safer.

You have only the rights you are willing to fight for.

Enforce the "gun control laws" in place;
don't make more.

jm@thinkingagain.com

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