Inaugeration

[Anonymous Poster]

WVBill,

Please don't turn my words describing a "powerless" people at the mercy of a reinless government into "support" for a nuclear weapon in every garage.

Power, ultimately, when the gloves are off and the chips are down, means deadly-force. Unpleasant/hopefully unnecessary, but true in the end.

I am open to discussion regarding what types of weapons perhaps should be excluded from those "permitted" to citizens,... a discussion that we have not had here. Do not put words in my mouth, nor opinions in my mind, please.

Re. "domino" effects ( a term that like many cliches-turned-buzzwords, has lost much of its usefulness as communication):

"It can't happen here!" is not an original thought. But it IS one that has been disproven a time-or-two, in a place-or-two, on this planet.

Is it your position that "rights" (or anything else) can NOT be taken from a "powerless" (the word I used) people?

Is it your position that when a government HAS "deadly-force" and the citizens DO NOT, then the citizens are not "powerless"(relatively and practically speaking)?

Is it your position that a "responsible" government(human-beings, often with a desire for "power") can be trusted,... while "responsible" citizens (human-beings, often with a desire for "security"), can NOT be trusted?

Apparantly you think it a good thing that we Americans "control" our government. That implies a need to continue to do so. I agree.

You state that you expect that you will have the right to "bear arms" for a long time. This implies that the "right" to do so will be preserved for you. You associate in your post (speaking of "lines-of-reasoning" being used) the NRA with child-pornographers, because of what you see as similarites-in-their-lines-of-reasoning . (interesting, when oppositional tactics are considered... might be viewed by some as an attempt at "demonization".) Though not a member, I personally am not pleased by the introduction of "smear-association" into the issue of citizen's "rights" to self-defense.

If it is preferred, both groups could be left entirely out of this discussion, which has plenty of merit upon which to stand, in it's own right. But back to "preserving" the "right" to "control" (ultimately, again, "with arms") any government. It will not be "preserved" by your assumption that it will always be there. There are those who actively (actively!) oppose "citizens" having any such "right", or capability. Seeing that they do not prevail requires organization, political activity, and wide support.
Personally I may (may!) not agree with some of the positions taken by the NRA. There are a great many arguments on each side that should be heard and carefully considered before deciding. BUT, no group has done more to protect and preserve for you the "right" whose continued existence you seem to (pardon my use of the phrase) "take-for-granted ".

That you may not believe/appreciate this, is perhaps understandable. But I will state with no fear of contradiction that there is a vast difference between any effects on your life of the activities of the NRA, and effects on your life (if any) of the activities of child pornographers.

I much enjoy the open/frank-but-courteous atmosphere here on TBN, and don't wish to introduce a hostile tone...but wrapping the NRA in the same toilet-paper with child-pornographers seems to me more than a bit disingenuous, and serves only to "muddy-the-water", if the topic is "bearing arms".

Ifyou wish to introduce "child-pornographers" 1st Amendment "rights" as an issue, then I believe the NRA can fairly be left-out of that discussion as well.

Regarding what may or may-not happen "here" or "now", it seems to me me that there are two approaches to be taken:

1.Assume that all is (and will always be) well.
2, Do what you can to see-to-it that all is (and will always be) well.

I favor the 2nd(!) approach!

Larry

 

[LazyK]

Richard...Being of Irish/Spanish/Polish/Italian/Mexican/Russian/Swedish decent, I can't help but agree with your distain for the moniker, "Here's who I was" (dash) American. Can you see me calling myself an Irish- Span.....etc. DASH American?! Too many times
there is a call-out to Americans asking them to fracture there identity and to group together as a 'voting BLOCK' in order to help politicians propagate their electability based, not on the qualities of fairness or correctness in representing the people, but on the promises of
a free lunch. "My Fellow Americans, start calling yourselves '------- DASH Americans', join the ------ Political Action Committee, give me money,
vote for me and my legislative agenda, ELECT ME and I'll make sure that there will be affirmative action taken to force America to give you a free lunch! You can trust me. I'm one of you. I'm here to help you. I work for the Government!!!!

OOPS! Sorry, my soapbox made me get off on a rant.
I'm not responsible for being boring.

Seriously, I wish the climate of human dynamics in the United States had some sense of humor these days. We are so blessed as a People! Can't we wind down the complexity and tension that politicians try to serve up as the way things must be?

Let's remember, there is the real world, and the joke world. Let's all lighten up and just start wearing a 'cup'.

Lazy K - Chip

 

[Wingnut]

>>If something in the melting-pot doesn't melt and "blend" ...you throw it OUT, right? <<

sounds good to me!

too bad that common sense ain't

 

[Wingnut]

that's been tried so many times, kevin, and never worked until now. Canadians (except for QB) are far too compacent. Heck, the current "Alliance" started off as a Western Separation party. But I'll stand by the melting pot comment ... the west is largely immigrant with huge west and mid European ancestry. And they all moved to Canada to become Canadian and left their culture and languages behind (in public anyway ... some keep the languages alive at home).
My step-dad (up in Cold Lake) was so fervently anti-east (for you Americans, many/most western Canadians feel closer to y'all than to Eastern Canada) that he wouldn't buy anything that was stamped "Made in Canada" becuase it wouldve come from Ontario or Quebec.
Unfortunately, the country is still out-of-step, east to west ... I see that the normal division happened again ... the east voted liberal and the west voted conservative.
For you non-Canadians ... Albertans have seemingly always been upset with Confederation ... they've been (because of the oil & gas erserves and grain) a net contributor ... paying out more in taxes than they get back in services or benefits. A study I saw 5-6 years ago showed that the largest net beneficiary of the federal treasury was Quebec ... who contributed almost exactly as much less than they received as Alberta contributed more.


too bad that common sense ain't

 

[jimmoore]

I wouldn't touch that post with a ten foot pole. The last time I made a statement, I had a bulls eye on my arse!! I probably wouldn't use the right word or something

jim

 

[Anonymous Poster]

LOL /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif
Jim,
I'm hoping these special kevlar targets I have pinned to my butt do the trick!!

You know the old saying..."variety is the spice of (conversational) life!! "

It's my dad's faulrt... he believed that if you won't stand up and say something in front of a crowd, either it's not worthy of saying, ....or you're not worthy of saying it!

In spite of heat and sore toes, the kitchen can still be a fun place...especially in the kind of weather a lot of list-members are having now! /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Larry

 

[Bird]

<font color=blue>'m hoping these special kevlar targets I have pinned to my butt do the trick

It's my dad's faulrt... he believed that if you won't stand up and say something in front of a crowd, either it's not worthy of saying, ....or you're not worthy of saying it! </font color=blue>

We knew there had to be some reason you're "unregistered."/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif



Bird

 

[LazyK]

Larry...this is really 'off the topic!' Speaking of Canada, is there a secret to Alberta's,
particularly Calgary's, refreshing attitude of it's people? Every time I travel to or even pass through Alberta I'm in 'considerate people' heaven.
Maybe I'm pre-disposed to seeing and feeling the best of this great people-hood from by first visits to the Calgary Stampede in the 60's and later, working with the travel and tourism folks of Alberta. I was in marketing and sales for Western Airlines before they became Delta. I liked their style then and still do. Been out of airline marketing for about 15 years; had fortunate opportunities to taste the flavor af many places world-wide; can the people of Alberta bottle whatever it is they drink to fortify such a pervasive attitude of hospitality, common sense and consideration of fellow humans...distribute their
beverage to the rest of the world?? Would that it could be.
Boy! Is that 'off topic' or what! Should I have addressed this post to Wingnut (Peter) ?

Lazy K - Chip

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Hi Bird,

Taking your "wink" at face value, I'll say that the reason I have not registered for so long has to do with a previous e-address that receives so much spam that it became worthless to me. I resent junk mail in my mailbox equally as much. I pay for this service to communicate with those I choose. ..not to be "fair-game" for a world full of salesmen.( for those of you who do not have a PO box in addition to your roadside mailbox, ..did you know that for the monthly fee you pay for the box you get a 2nd "helping" of commercial trash every day!) Like Forrest Gump's Mom used to say, "Incommunicado is, as incommunicado does!" /w3tcompact/icons/cool.gif

Re. posts to TBN: I like to think that valid observations have merit of their own, independent of the observer. And those with none, are still meritless, regardless of the source.
In other words, what is being said is or isn't worthwhile, no-matter who is saying it.

But I appreciate that it is nice to have a little info on fellow list members,...adds a neighborly feel to the group. I am putting my tractor package together, and intend to register when I have a "tractor" element in my profile, for this "tractor" list.

I've been "nudged" to register before...several times, don't remember by whom. I must have a missing "social-gene". In many hours spent reading/posting to this site, it has never bothered me to see "unregistered", by someone's name. I just figure "To each his own".

In case any TBN member has any desire to reach me privately, on any issue, and so as not to be completely "out-of-step" with the group, here is my e-mail address <<< lhsmith@wvi.com >>> .

I can only march to the drum I hear! /w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif

Larry

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Hi Chip,
Yes, that question should go to Wingnut or the (1?) (or more?) other Canadian(s) posting here (sorry I forget the name(s).... Kevin? Henry?)

Anyway, experiences like yours are great... they restore one's faith in our "fellow man". I've usually had them when I was in a positive frame-of-mind myself (hmmm.. does that give us a clue?).

I'm certainly motivated to return the good-will when it is extended... !
Maybe there's still a chance that love can spread faster than hatred, in this ever-more-crowded and frantic world.

Thanks for the positive reminder. I'll try to wear my "rose-colored" glasses more often /w3tcompact/icons/cool.gif!

Larry