If all the current terrorist would join the army and fight like an army then what you say would be fine. We could have the army take care of them. But also remember that the biggest part of our army is the National Guard which are citizen soldiers. Not part of the normal standing army. Jamie
I guess I need to make a point.... Why do you Canadians all support the clubbing of baby seals? That is so cruel and unjust. How could you ever allow it. You people are sick! How does that statement make you feel? I'm just assuming that because it happens in your country you all support it and believe in it. Not very smart of me is it? But the way you felt when you read it is the way we feel everytime someone makes broad statements about us. Jamie
I don't really understand your logic. I am a law abiding citizen. What does it matter if I have 1 pistol or 10? Same with a rifle or shotgun. When in college I was a non traditional student. I had been a SSG in the Army. Girls used to ask how many women have you slept with, knowing that my answer would freak them out I refused to answer... I would simply ask how many is too many? They might say 15. My response would be but 14 is OK? What makes 15 any different? The point here is the number of guns isn't really of consequense so long as we are talking about a law abiding citizen who has them. Even with a criminal, nobody ever carries 30 guns into a bank robbery or car jacking. Be afraid of the guy who only wants one. Additionally you have to keep in mind that guns are a tool. There are different size screwdrivers and no one will work for every screw. The same applies to guns. A deer rifle would vaporize a squerrill and it would be inhumane to hunt a moose with a .22, might also get you killed. When it comes to pistols the same applies. What I carry inside my waistband isn't the same as what sits at my bedside. God forbid I need to use it in public I carry something small with 7 rounds. I figure I can protect my family and myself and get to safety quickly in public. In my house I am trapped until the police arrive. Accordingly there are 3 guns within easy reach and almost 100 rounds. A home invasion, though unlikely, isn't something I am willing to be a victim of. As far as assault rifles and mean looking guns are concerned I can understand your point. I disagree mostly because I know that there are far more devistating rounds of ammunition that are fired from shotguns and hunting rifles than almost and military type weapon. Funnny thing though, the largest round available the .50 BMG, has never been used in a crime. That didn't stop California from banned it specifically. To sum up my position- I believe in the right to protect yourself, this requires a gun. I believe in background checks to own a gun. I believe there should not be gun registration with the gov't. The industry/gun owners should keep track of who they are sold to. That way if a gun is found after having been used in a crime the cops can call and trace it to an owner. The first step in gun siezure has always been registration.
Jamie My original point was that you have your guns, I won't try to change it, we have gun control, let's not change it. Gun Control works in Canada, it would take generations before it would work in the US, I was not advocating gun control for you. I believe I was pretty clear on that. The illegal guns that come into Canada are coming from the US. Your statement that guns don't kill people, people kill people, or "I have yet to see a gun stand up and kill someone", those are merely NRA rhetoric, which as Ian stated earlier allows you to play into their fear mongering. At no time do I recall saying anything that could be construed as something against the US, why would I do that??? I even resent the implication. The one thing I said that some people might take as a slight is the statement that "to believe that GOD gave you the constitution borders on religious fanaticsm" but if you take that as a slight you are either looking for a fight or you believe that or you are really dumb!!! Otherwise I have said nothing wrong or untowards against the US, As far as the clubbing of baby seals goes. Why is it that the advocates against it always come and do their photo ops during the warmest times of the year. Why don't they come up when it is minus 35 degrees celecius and the winds are howling with no backdrops to stop those winds.
I guess all I can say is go back and read what you posted... Did you say we should give up guns? No. What you said is that gun control works really well for you, you have so few crimes with it, why are we against it? I'm not dumb. I just don't understand why most of your posts seem to say "I'm not making judgements against you but if we do this and it works for us why don't you?" If you are on the receiving end of the sttement it comes across as "Why do you do stuipd things when we are the shining light on how to do it right?" Yes you said you respected everyone's opnions and choices, but you questioned them at the same time. Conflicting statesments are left to the reader to interpert. Maybe not the way you intended it but if you hit a dog everyday and then walk by it and make a sudden jesture it will flinch. And remember a conversation requires two participants. A sender and a receiver. And if the message being sent is not understood the fault does not always lie with the receiver. If you write a book to ask a question, do not fault the reader for getting lost along the way. As fo the photogs timing.. it's much easier to be holier than thou when you're warm and comfortable. Jamie
I heartily disagree. Did you know that General Patton advanced armed soldiers on veterans of WW I in Washington DC? This was of course after they fixed bayonets and tear gassed them. In the crowd of Veterans was a soldier that had served under Patton in WW I. During the Rodney King riots police disarmed Bevery Hills residents. During Hurricane Katrina lawfully armed citizens of New Orleans were disarmed in their own homes. Please watch this short video. [ame=]YouTube - National Guard Confiscating Guns in New Orleans You have to have a problem with that. I could list these types of events all day, right up until the grandmother had her door kicked in last week while her house was occupied by swat teams that had showed up in armored transports. Thinking that the Gov't is benevolent and your friend has gotten alot of people abused or killed over the years.... Close to my home there was the girl killed by cops firing pepper balls indiscriminantly into a crowd of revelers after the Red Sox won a game. She died because nobody polices the police. Nobody went to jail for that one. In some ways it is would be alot more comforting to not know what I know. Our founding fathers knew it too, time has not made a tyrannical gov't less likely.
Jamie, I didn't believe you at first, but I guess you a correct about baby seals. According to a quote at web site: http://www.slate.com/id/2139026/ : "Federal laws in Canada give a sealer three ways to hunt his prey. He can shoot a seal with a rifle or shotgun—provided it's above a minimum caliber or gauge; he can break its head with a blunt club (like a baseball bat) that must be at least 2 feet long; or he can smash in its brains with something called a hakapik -a 4- or 5-foot wooden pole with a bent, metal spike affixed to the end. In general, a sealer will use a hakapik or club if at all possible. That's because with these weapons, it's much easier to aim a blow directly at the seal pup's head. One swing from a hakapik will usually kill a pup right away. By law, you have to keep clubbing the seal in the forehead until you know for sure that it's dead. Sealers are supposed to "palpate" a pup's skull after they've clubbed it, to feel the caved-in bone beneath the skin and blubber. Or they can perform the "blink reflex" test, which consists of touching the seal's eyeball—if it blinks, you've got to club it again. (Few sealers actually perform these tests, though; some say they can feel the skull collapse as they make contact with their clubs.)" Regardless I still like Canadians and think they have a great and beautiful country. I loved those big inflatible beavers from the Olympics Closing.
Not sure if you are saying that America invented democracy? The first recorded democracy in western culture was in Athen's, Greece around 500 B.C.. Other cultures claim earlier forms of democracy. I believe Britain began it's democracy with the signing of the Magna Carta in 1215. The crown began largely a figure head, as it is today. Canada was under British rule until 1867, where we formed our own government, modeled after British Parliamentary democracy. We are still part of the British Commonwealth, though it is pretty much a formality these days. We have our problems here that's for sure. For instance, the government must call an election within five years of being elected. But they can call one anytime they want before then, if they think they stand a good chance of winning! I could go on and on about our messes in government. So actually, Britain would be the older sibling. America is the younger and stronger sibling. Have to agree with you there, Jamie. I like Ron Paul's outlook on that. There is a fine line between securing national interests and meddling in other nations internal affairs. The U.N. is a joke. I would like to see another formal organization of free states where a coalition works together to get rid of some of the insane dictatorships around the world. Like what we are doing together in Afghanistan. Takes the heat of the U.S. too..not having to be "The world's policeman". I agree. It's great to learn about other cultures. Particularly from the people and how they feel about things...not just when you get on the news or is packaged by their governments. America is far more religious than Canada or Britain. You were founded by the Puritan's leaving Britain for religious freedom. We Canadian's came here to chase beaver.....lol (pun intended) Oh, and baby seals are crackhead rapists that eat all the fish.
This is something I also don't understand. If seals are plentiful and a meat source why does it matter that they are cute? People only try to save them because they are cute, thats stupid. The bottom line is simple, in order for something to eat something else has to die. I gotta believe humans are the only creature that feels guilty for its own existance. That said, I don't agree with torturing animas in order to eat, I find things like foie gras disturbing.
