A good read

[[-VR-] Tool_Minion]

I enjoyed it!

 

Why The Gun Represents Civilization

By Maj. L. Caudill USMC (Ret)

 

 

 

Human beings only have two ways to deal with one another: reason and force. If you want me to do something for you, you have a choice of either convincing me via argument, or force me to do your bidding under threat of force. Every human interaction falls into one of those two categories, without exception. Reason or force, that's it.

 

In a truly moral and civilized society, people exclusively interact through persuasion. Force has no place as a valid method of social interaction, and the only thing that removes force from the menu is the personal firearm, as paradoxical as it may sound to some.

 

When I carry a gun, you cannot deal with me by force. You have to use reason and try to persuade me, because I have a way to negate your threat or employment of force. The gun is the only personal weapon that puts a 100-pound woman on equal footing with a 220-pound mugger, a 75-year old retiree on equal footing with a 19-year old gang banger, and a single gay guy on equal footing with a carload of drunk guys with baseball bats. The gun removes the disparity in physical strength, size, or numbers between a potential attacker and a defender.

 

There are plenty of people who consider the gun as the source of bad force equations.. These are the people who think that we'd be more civilized if all guns were removed from society, because a firearm makes it easier for a [armed] mugger to do his job. That, of course, is only true if the mugger's potential victims are mostly disarmed either by choice or by legislative fiat--it has no validity when most of a mugger's potential marks are armed. People who argue for the banning of arms ask for automatic rule by the young, the strong, and the many, and that's the exact opposite of a civilized society. A mugger, even an armed one, can only make a successful living in a society where the state has granted him a force monopoly.

 

Then there's the argument that the gun makes confrontations lethal that otherwise would only result in injury. This argument is fallacious in several ways. Without guns involved, confrontations are won by the physically superior party inflicting overwhelming injury on the loser. People who think that fists, bats, sticks, or stones don't constitute lethal force watch too much TV, where people take beatings and come out of it with a bloody lip at worst. The fact that the gun makes lethal force easier works solely in favor of the weaker defender, not the stronger attacker. If both are armed, the field is level. The gun is the only weapon that's as lethal in the hands of an octogenarian as it is in the hands of a weight lifter. It simply wouldn't work as well as a force equalizer if it wasn't both lethal and easily employable.

 

When I possess a gun, I don't do so because I am looking for a fight, but because I'm looking to be left alone. The gun at my side means that I cannot be forced, only persuaded. I don't carry it because I'm afraid, but because it enables me to be unafraid. It doesn't limit the actions of those who would interact with me through reason, only the actions of those who would do so by force. It removes force from the equation...and that's why gun possession is a civilized act.

 

SAEPE EXPERTUS, SEMPER FIDELIS, FRATRES AETERNI

'Often Tested, Always Faithful, Brothers Forever'

by Bill Bratton- Former Sergeant of Marines

 

 

[CDBS14]

guns make my day.

[cBs_Warlock]

Guns SAVE many days.

[Guest deltron0]

Guns don't kill people. I kill people.

[CDBS14]

now does anyone own a gun?

[Prolog39]

Never have owned a gun, probably never will. I live in Canada!

[Guest KingJunk]

I owned 1, but not legally, so I gave it away to someone responsible, I do plan on going to buy another 1 in the very near future and yes its all going to be legit!

[CDBS14]

cool. ;D

[HogWild_101st]

CDBS14 ]

now does anyone own a gun?

 

Break into the wrong house and you will find out the hard way....

[BigMoneyNacku]

HogWild ]

CDBS14 ]

now does anyone own a gun?

 

Break into the wrong house and you will find out the hard way....

 

Sho Nuff.

[UNCLE-SID25]

I own many,

and am a proud member of : http://www.nra.org/

[IRISH BULL]

CDBS14 ]

now does anyone own a gun?

 

Its a tool I use while I work. I totally agree with this passage. I have no problem killing a 6'5" 250 lbs person who is unarmed. If I were to go "toe to toe" with a person that size, I probally would lose. But being armed levels the playing field as stated above, he's exactly right.

[TOW-19]

Owning a gun is something I have thought about for two years now.

I'm giving it serious but thorough thought before I make a decision to do it.

I think about it for home protection only.

 

I'm not a huge man but in no right am I small.

However, I sleep. And I don't like waking up to sounds in my house with only a lamp at my bedside.

But this is a decision I'm taking very seriously.

I haven't gotten any closer to a verdict, though.

[[-VR-] Tool_Minion]

Undertow ]

Owning a gun is something I have thought about for two years now.

I'm giving it serious but thorough thought before I make a decision to do it.

I think about it for home protection only.

 

I'm not a huge man but in no right am I small.

However, I sleep. And I don't like waking up to sounds in my house with only a lamp at my bedside.

But this is a decision I'm taking very seriously.

I haven't gotten any closer to a verdict, though.

 

One word Tow.

 

Shotty.

[CDBS14]

i wish i had a gun, for collecting, they always fascinated me, maybe someday ill be able to collect guns.

[Prolog39]

CDBS14 ]

i wish i had a gun' date=' for collecting, they always fascinated me, maybe someday ill be able to collect guns.

[/quote']

 

Agreed. If I were ever to have a gun, it would be because I think they are bloody cool. I've never felt like I needed a gun for protection.

[CDBS14]

yea i dont need guns for protection, i want them for collecting or just letting out a few rounds in the range.