Giggity Giggity Google Base--It's All Relative

[jmiller]

Wow. This forum got out of control.

Weedy Lady, let me preface by saying I am a Libertarian living in Kentucky where we have a conceal and carry law. Since that law was passed, crime has gone down considerably. My philosophy in government as in life is simple: "Live and let live, as long as you're not hurting anybody." I believe in the Bill of Rights and in Liberty and would never advocate any abolition of those rights.

"Government, like dress, is a badge of lost innocence; the palaces of kings are built on the ruins of the bowers of paradise."--Thomas Paine.

You're accusations were unfair, and if you truly believe in liberty, you wouldn't slap me when I speak my mind. Besides, you missed the point.

The point I was making, even if poorly, was a tongue-in-cheek jibe (hey! almost humorous! ;-D) at Google, who makes judgements about what they allow. The guidelines say weapons are okay, as long as they're not illegal. However, it's pretty hard to find the weapons they don't like. The point, dear fellow Southerner, was that it is interesting that Google has no problem with porn or drug paraphanalia, but does have a problem with gambling and guns.

Perhaps I made the classic mistake my writing professors always warned about--"assume your audience knows nothing." I never liked that rule. I like to think my audience is clever enough to get it.

I don't owe anyone an apology (at least here, but my girlfriend often says otherwise). You may owe me an apology for jumping all over me (calling me things like "low-minded" and "dummie") after assuming I said something I didn't. If I owe an apology, it's for not making myself clear--a cardinal sin of writing. But I'm not asking for any kind of apology, I don't really need it--I just need to set the record straight.

[onelife]

After spending numerous years in the Armed Forces and having been to places such as afganhistan, irag, kosovo, serbia to name a few, I can tell you that Guns don't mean squat when saving lives.

"An armed society is a polite society" because of course criminals know you're carrying a gun?, at that moment? have it hand ready to use? are able use it under pressure? Don't think so, if your hand isn't on the weapon ready to deploy - you will not get to use it, you will be killed fumbling to find it, turning off the safety, aiming etc.

There will always be people who want to hurt other people, having a gun will not stop that, only extend the reach in their aim to harm you. Muggers don't politely state that they are going to mug you, or harm you - its safer for them to shoot you in the back, take what they want and your gun that never came out your purse.

Anyone can fire a gun, though many cannot really shoot them, most think that its like the movies. Person gets hit by a single bullet and dies. Sorry it doesn't happen like that, often you have to be shot numerous times, left writhing choking on your own blood which has flooded your lungs, so the main thing on your mind is that you can't breath; not "An armed society is a polite society" and I have learned a lesson.

Any sane person who has seen, heard or been the cause of someones death with gun would never advocate the use of such a weapon.

Finally... You are allowed to defend yourself within the UK, with reasonable force.

[Chris]

moving this to the breakroom... there you can continue to debate your points.

chandrika, i'm not sure where the kiddie porn references were in your keyword tracker list... and the fact that porn is so popular should be of no suprise. porn-related search terms have always been the most popular and there's a internet myth that porn pay sites are the one of the only consistent "in the black" businesses on the net. evidently, people love to watch...

A couple of points to mention here, particularly to folks outside the U.S. but also within. The 2nd amendment was written to protect the 1st amendment.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.


The above amendment guarantees the people of the United States methods with which change the government through speech, peaceable assembly etc.

The 2nd amendment was put in place to make sure the government doesn't take away those rights. Societies have always had ways to deal with criminals. People will find food. This country was founded, in theory, on ideas of liberty and equality. Guns are the true equalizer.

As far as crime being down... that happened because SCOTUS upheld Roe v. Wade but that's another debate though isn't it.

Now back to the regularly scheduled arguement which is jmiller's rather sarcastic and witty commentary on Googlebase.

[Weedy Lady]

Thank you for your response. My response was angry, but not intended to be as offensive as people seemed to read into it........just as your statement was not intended to be offensive. My second comment, which was offensive, was due to the fact that you had not responded to my first statement. Sorry for not having the patience to wait longer for a response.

Let's consider that perhaps we both "mis-spoke", as a good friend of mine would say. If you need an apology for my reaction to your words, here it is.

Truce?

There is no further reason to discuss weapons or self defense on this forum. Either you believe in self defense or you do not, and it seems that no one is going to change anyone else's mind.

[jmiller]

you gotta deal

Happy Thanksgiving!

[eman711]

For many people guns are their only possible self-defense. For most people, no matter how good of shape they are in, the only chance of fighting off a young drug crazed attacker is with a gun. Those who are against guns are saying that they want the world to be ruled by young drug crazed attackers. Hey, maybe they're afraid of getting shot.
PayPal has gone so far as to not handle transactions involving knives and militaria.
The US Supreme Court has repeatly ruled that the state does not owe us protection, most recently in Castle Rock vs Gonzales. And even if the state did, between your 911 call and arrival of help you are on your own.
Britian is a great case in showing that disarming the citizens increases violent crime. We should be demanding of our representatives Equality in the Streets

[sysop9999]

I believe a search for [highest percentage crime world] will end that discussion.

oh ... and use any SE at hand :-)

[orko3001]

To jmiller:

I highly resent your referring to everyone who shoots as a "perverted gun-toting stoner". Most of us are very responsible citizens who firmly believe in Second Amendment rights so we can help protect dummies like you who would put us in the same position as Britain where it is illegal to defend oneself and the crime rates are going through the roof.

You owe an apology to all of us serious shooters.

It isn't illegal to defend yourself in the uk, and crime is going down.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4359744.stm

While recorded crime fell 2% in the quarterly figures, the alternative British Crime Survey (BCS), which polls people's experience of crime, found overall offences in England and Wales fell 5% in the 12 months to June 2005.

During the same period, 24% of people were the victims of at least one crime, the BCS indicates - the lowest percentage since the survey began in 1981.

Mr Clarke said: "This is a considerable achievement demonstrating the success of government initiatives on crime reduction and should not be underestimated.

"However, I recognise that the fear of crime is too high - it is not enough to reduce crime if people do not perceive that reduction.

[orko3001]

To jmiller:

I highly resent your referring to everyone who shoots as a "perverted gun-toting stoner". Most of us are very responsible citizens who firmly believe in Second Amendment rights so we can help protect dummies like you who would put us in the same position as Britain where it is illegal to defend oneself and the crime rates are going through the roof.

You owe an apology to all of us serious shooters.

It is not illegal to defend your self, and crime figures are the lowest for 20 years. I think you owe us brits and appology.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4359744.stm

While recorded crime fell 2% in the quarterly figures, the alternative British Crime Survey (BCS), which polls people's experience of crime, found overall offences in England and Wales fell 5% in the 12 months to June 2005.

During the same period, 24% of people were the victims of at least one crime, the BCS indicates - the lowest percentage since the survey began in 1981.

Mr Clarke said: "This is a considerable achievement demonstrating the success of government initiatives on crime reduction and should not be underestimated.

"However, I recognise that the fear of crime is too high - it is not enough to reduce crime if people do not perceive that reduction.