Why is the word "Firearms" not in the educators dictionaries? A firearm not used in your above descriptions is not a weapon, IT'S A FIREARM. Then again the college student in Texas yesterday was using a knife and not a weapon then, correct?
Would your hand, car or baseball bat be a weapon then? People have been prosecuted for using these as a weapon.
A weapon is anything used in an aggressive or defensive fashion.
Unless there is a lib in the room.
Again, in my opinion
arms
Arms \Arms\, n. pl. [OE. armes, F. arme, pl. armes, fr. L. arma,
pl., arms, orig. fittings, akin to armus shoulder, and E.
arm. See Arm, n.]
1. Instruments or weapons of offense or defense.
He lays down his arms, but not his wiles. --Milton.
Three horses and three goodly suits of arms.
--Tennyson.
2. The deeds or exploits of war; military service or science.
``Arms and the man I sing.'' --Dryden.
3. (Law)
Anything which a man takes in his hand in anger, to
strike or assault another with; an aggressive weapon.
--Cowell. Blackstone.
4. (Her.) The ensigns armorial of a family, consisting of
figures and colors borne in shields, banners, etc., as
marks of dignity and distinction, and descending from
father to son.
5. (Falconry) The legs of a hawk from the thigh to the foot.
--Halliwell.
arms
arms
n 1: weapons considered collectively [syn: weaponry, implements
of war, weapons system, munition]
2: (heraldry) the official symbols of a family, state, etc.
[syn: coat of arms, blazon, blazonry]
It is clear that arms has the same problems as its synonym weapons. I fail to see an agenda. It has nothing to do with liberal agenda.
In fact weapons is a synonym of arms. Now did the founding fathers mean our right to bear arms is the right to bear all weaponry, implements of war and all weapons systems? And at what age did they give us this right? It is clearly not made very clear and the history of this issue in the courts is all the evidence needed. It's intended meaning has long been debated by many including Constituional Scholars, politicians and Supreme Courts Judges. A literal interpretation would have to support the right of a 6 year old to possess a vial of anthrax and a fully automatic gun. The challenge is to draw the line in the best place.
The concern stated over the substtution of a synonym is an attempt to make a poltical mountain out of a mole hill.
This topic should have been presented in the politics area...not here.
Loren
ps: deranged person attacked many in Texas...how many fatalities??? Various deranged people with many fatalities in other areas....what was the difference??? Any prediction of outcome if most recent attacker preffered different arms/ weapons (not to be redundant!)
