From: ichudov@algebra.com (Igor Chudov @ home)
Date: Mon, 22 Jul 1996 13:34:50 +0800
To: sandfort@crl.com (Sandy Sandfort)
Subject: Re: Responding to Pre-dawn Unannounced Ninja Raids
In-Reply-To: <Pine.SUN.3.91.960721191416.11723B-100000@crl2.crl.com>
Message-ID: <199607220255.VAA19757@manifold.algebra.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text


Sandy Sandfort wrote:
> On Sun, 21 Jul 1996 ichudov@algebra.com wrote:
> > Lots of kids impulsively do things that they later regret. Like, once
> > one little boy hit me hard in the head with a heavy stick from behind
> > my back...Now, if he or myself had access to a firearm, the life now
> > would not be nearly as good as it is.
> > 
> > I've seen these sudden destructive impulses in kids many times.
> 
> So have I, but your assertion begs the question.  In an unarmed
> society, people don't have to curb their impulse to the extent
> they do in an armed one.  As a result they often don't.  The
> Swiss and the Israelis seem to avoid internecine fratricide, even
> though guns are everywhere.  I don't think it is any coincidence
> that incivility and casual violence have increased in America in
> direct proportion to the ongoing orgy of victim disarmament.
> 
... snip ...

> Powerlessness is far more a cause of impulsive rages than the
> trust, responsibility and empowerment engendered by gun ownership.
> 

As I said, the kid who hit me in the head with a stick was 3-4 years
younger than me. You skipped that part. Correspondently, I could beat
him easily (I did, but his mother soon interrupted me), which was
obvious to him. So he had plenty of information that would deter a
rational person. He had all the reasons to "to curb his impulse", as
you said, and he could have thought about his punishment.

Still, he hit me. He was NOT a rational person, therefore. Just as
simple as that, that particular kid who hit me should not be trusted
with a firearm at his age.

This is a simple logical conclusion.

Your arguments apply to people who do not do impulsive things. To adults
for example. 

Again, I expressed my opinion about raising my own kids. I do not
have an opinion on whether parents in general should be allowed to
give guns to their kids or not, but I would not keep a firearm  in 
my home when I have kids. I may teach them gun safety or shooting, 
but would never leave them at home with access to guns.

	- Igor.