Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Mark Luper on July 19, 2007, 05:57:59 PM
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Someone sent me this by email. A friend of mine who is a bit of a gun nut like a lot of us. I don't know who Maj. L. Caudill is or even if he exists, I do know I like what he has supposedly written. I thought it good food for thought.
Mark
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 carry 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 carrying a gun is a civilized act.
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(http:///www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1850156/posts)
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Originally posted by Jackal1
(http:///www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1850156/posts)
The link didn't work for me. I assume that it is where my friend may have gotten that from?
Mark
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there is a reason the colt single action was called "the peace maker".
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I concur with the Major.
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Gun's don't kill people. It's the bullets :D
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Originally posted by Angus
Gun's don't kill people. It's the bullets :D
You forgot to put Quote marks:
"...Gun's don't kill people. It's the bullets" (Sledge Hammer)
:D
Matt
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Originally posted by Mark Luper
The link didn't work for me. I assume that it is where my friend may have gotten that from?
Mark
I would assume so. The link is still working here.
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Link broken for me too.
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Originally posted by Keiler
You forgot to put Quote marks:
"...Gun's don't kill people. It's the bullets" (Sledge Hammer)
:D
Matt
Hehe, spot on :aok
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BUT.....BUT.....BUT......EVEN IF IT SAVED ONLY ONE LIFE!!!!!!:rolleyes:
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Originally posted by Keiler
You forgot to put Quote marks:
"...Gun's don't kill people. It's the bullets" (Sledge Hammer)
I always prefered:" Guns don't kill people, Apes with guns kill people!" Charlton Heston
(http://www.threadbombing.com/data/media/2/shooting_monkey.gif) (http://www.threadbombing.com/details.php?image_id=840)
Good post though. I've had Concealed Carry Permits for 18 years in 3 states. I've never needed it, hope I never will, but it's there just the same.
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Originally posted by tedrbr
I always prefered:" Guns don't kill people, Apes with guns kill people!" Charlton Heston
(http://www.threadbombing.com/data/media/2/shooting_monkey.gif) (http://www.threadbombing.com/details.php?image_id=840)
Good post though. I've had Concealed Carry Permits for 18 years in 3 states. I've never needed it, hope I never will, but it's there just the same.
"Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it":aok
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Perhaps I haven't been paying attention for the past few years but....has there been any legislation proposing the banning of guns as of late?
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Guns? Who needs guns?
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(Found it online, dubious whether this really happened, but fun nonetheless)
A friend of a friend lives in NYC and participates in the SCA [Society for Creative Anachronism]. He's stereotypical Viking, 6'7" tall, LONG blonde hair, about 350 - 400 lbs of solid muscle, and looks every bit of it.
Well, he was going to a meet in full getup with long cloak and battle axe and sitting on the subway... hunched over leaning on the axe with the cloak pulled over it so he wouldn't scare anybody.
Lo and behold some little punk comes up... MAYBE 5'2", 120 lbs soaking wet, and brandishes a knife saying "GIMME YOUR MONEY!" Naturally the guy sits there... somewhat befuddled at the balls of this punk. "GIMME YOUR *bleepin* MONEY OR ELSE!" and the guy stands up... and up... and UP. Raising the battle axe over his head, screaming at the top of his lungs "BLOOD FOR ODIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
At this point, the fellow passengers learn the true sound of terror. Not a scream, no curses, just a simple little "urk" as the guy leaves a wet spot as he's bolting for anywhere but here.
A couple weeks later our friend is at a club in the men's room, doing what all guys do when they've had a bit of ale, and looks over and at the next stall is that SAME PUNK! Up for a bit of a laugh, the guy leans over, and quietly whispers in the dude's ear "Blood for Odin".
The cops catch up with him a couple blocks away... screaming bloody murder, running like the hounds of hell are after him, with his pants around his ankles.
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BLOOD FOR ODIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Originally posted by wigglepog
Perhaps I haven't been paying attention for the past few years but....has there been any legislation proposing the banning of guns as of late?
I'm guessing you havent been paying attention for the past few years...:rolleyes:
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Originally posted by Saxman
Guns? Who needs guns?
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(Found it online, dubious whether this really happened, but fun nonetheless)
A friend of a friend lives in NYC and participates in the SCA [Society for Creative Anachronism]. He's stereotypical Viking, 6'7" tall, LONG blonde hair, about 350 - 400 lbs of solid muscle, and looks every bit of it.
Well, he was going to a meet in full getup with long cloak and battle axe and sitting on the subway... hunched over leaning on the axe with the cloak pulled over it so he wouldn't scare anybody.
Lo and behold some little punk comes up... MAYBE 5'2", 120 lbs soaking wet, and brandishes a knife saying "GIMME YOUR MONEY!" Naturally the guy sits there... somewhat befuddled at the balls of this punk. "GIMME YOUR *bleepin* MONEY OR ELSE!" and the guy stands up... and up... and UP. Raising the battle axe over his head, screaming at the top of his lungs "BLOOD FOR ODIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
At this point, the fellow passengers learn the true sound of terror. Not a scream, no curses, just a simple little "urk" as the guy leaves a wet spot as he's bolting for anywhere but here.
A couple weeks later our friend is at a club in the men's room, doing what all guys do when they've had a bit of ale, and looks over and at the next stall is that SAME PUNK! Up for a bit of a laugh, the guy leans over, and quietly whispers in the dude's ear "Blood for Odin".
The cops catch up with him a couple blocks away... screaming bloody murder, running like the hounds of hell are after him, with his pants around his ankles.
----------------------------------------
BLOOD FOR ODIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now thats a good story! :D
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Originally posted by Airscrew
I'm guessing you havent been paying attention for the past few years...:rolleyes:
I believe that's what I said. Now, what legislation has been put forth. I don't doubt you, I just want to know.
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I would but I'm supposed to be working. How bout you go do a little searching yourself, shouldn't to hard, start with google and try "firearm legislation" or "gun control Laws", I'm assuming you know how to use the internet, you did find your way in here...
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Originally posted by Airscrew
I would but I'm supposed to be working. How bout you go do a little searching yourself, shouldn't to hard, start with google and try "firearm legislation" or "gun control Laws", I'm assuming you know how to use the internet, you did find your way in here...
No need to be sarcastic. Was just asking those who seemed informed on the issue, of course I can go do my own research...figured I'd ask the 'experts' here.
If you assume I'm pro-gun control, you would be wrong.
ciao
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no assumtions on my part, I'm just supposed to be working and this board is like crack. and If i get started on searching for stuff I'll never get any work done. The sarcasim comes out naturally... and I am definitely no expert on gun control legislation...
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Originally posted by wigglepog
No need to be sarcastic. Was just asking those who seemed informed on the issue, of course I can go do my own research...figured I'd ask the 'experts' here.
If you assume I'm pro-gun control, you would be wrong.
ciao
While not legislation, recently OSHA has proposed rules that would make the sale of Ammunition damn near impossible, as well as making illegal to keep ammunition near fire arms. Like in the same building.
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I believe that the letter summed up my feelings on the subject quite well.
An armed society is a polite society. An armed society won't stand by and watch rapes and muggings and burglaries and such.
wigglepog... numerous laws have been propossed and passed to make it harder and harder for a person to own and carry a firearm. The enemies of the second amendment are constantly working.
If you are serious you can go to the NRA/NLA site to see some of the laws that they are fighting.
A for instance would be the cops in new orleans taking away the guns of citizens right in their homes... they have not given them back yet either.
democrats are constantly proposing one law or another to restrict and take away guns. There are some bright spots... concealed carry is here to stay.. the myths about it have been shattered and people know it. the assault rifle and magazine ban has died... DC, the filthiest and most murderous city in the nation with the strictest gun laws... has been told that they can't take the INDIVIDUAL right to keep and bear arms away from their people.
lazs
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Thanks, Mark -- truly a bravo! article. Hard to improve on that wording and logic.