Fairweather

A.K.A. "The Naive". Read Woodrow Wilson for clarification. While you're up there on the pedestal you've built for yourself, you should carefully re-read my question.

MY best friend is from the UK, we've discussed this issue at length, and, yet again, you're dead wrong. The problem in the UK is a) Much laxer laws against violent crime, which allows all kinds of hooliganism; bar fights, muggings, etc, to take place there that wouldn't fly here and b) The greater difficulty of bringing civil suits, which produces the same result. Gun ownership has little or nothing at all to do with it. If gun ownership were more lax in the UK, the result would be utterly predictable: the hooligans would be the first to own them, and more innocent people would die. Disagree re UK. I have some family there and believe I have it down just about right as an apples-to-apples comparison. The counter to your S.A. analogy would be the current carnage in Mexico, where the average citizen cannot (legally) own the types of guns used by traffickers now stacking up bodies in overflowing morgues. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_politics_in_Mexico

Look at "home invasion" robberies in the UK versus the United States. They are very common in the UK, but from a statistical standpoint, they are virtually non-existent here in the US--and the reason is clear: The homeowner might have a gun.

Some decent comments for once, but do you really understand what the elimination of semi-autos would leave? Bolt action, lever action, pump action, single fed. That's it. Did you really mean to say this? How about revolvers? Some consider them semi-auto, some don't.

I'm sure gang-bangers and the like will use only government-approved ammo.

You sound like you're using the "if you aren't doing anything wrong, then you shouldn't have anything to worry about..." argument? This is interesting.

I hear what you're saying. There is no greater satisfaction in life than introducing someone to a world they never even realized was out there. It's almost as if three worlds now exist. In addition to the day-to-day life of the city/suburbs/consumer/worker, there is the introverted world of the video-gamer and, in the opposite direction, the world that you and I and Matt share: The mountains, the sea, the physical test of self. I sometimes wonder about the motivations of those who would restrict our access to our world and wonder if many of these people have ever really experienced it for themselves--or if they really have a right to petition changes based solely on what they've been fed by someone else's agenda.

I doubt the sample legislation proposed by this group of nannies is going anywhere. Do they really think that anyone--myself included--is going to just "dispose of" thousands of dollars worth of personal property? This leftistlation would make shotguns very popular.

I don't agree with everything here, but parts of it ring true. In order to protect it we need more recreational use, not less. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,459225,00.html

It looks like India has captured one of the gunmen alive. To what degree of discomfort, if any, should this terrorist be subjected? Seems to me it would be helpful to know who his benefactors are or if more attacks are in the works.

Um, actually, yes. Ya think? Hmmm, lemme see: Waterboarding with no lasting physical effects or...slowly strangled to death by a chord hung from a crane in front of a large cheering crowd... Ok, I've decided now. I'll take the waterboarding please!

According to The Evergreen State College and Rachael Corrie's parents, the manufacturer of that crane is responsible. Since I don't see a basket of any kind, its safe to assume they just lifted the poor guy into the air to strangle. Real nice folks, they.

Yea, but don't you think she'd look way hotter in this?

This may have once been true, but things seem to have changed during the last 30 years. I have an Egyptian business associate who is Coptic Christian and left Egypt for good about 5 years ago. Why? Her words: "Because the crazies are taking over".

I agree with the first part of your post, but you lost me at addressing their "beefs". For the most part, their beefs seem to be based simply on 'convert to Islam or die', their rage vented regularly upon atheist, Christian, Jew, and Hindu alike. At least Christians seem content to leave the non-believer alone to face their fate in the afterlife--Muslims seem intent on helping them get there sooner.

Because the religion that spawns these idiots will continue to do so until it is forced to reform from within or until sufficient pressure is brought to bear upon its more civilized adherents to stand up and be counted.

Islam is hardly organized at all which may, or may not be part of the problem. I'm not a big fan of Catholics either--the world's largest cult, IMO. I have no problem with your mistrust of organized religion, but I haven't read about Catholics, Lutherans, Buddhists, Scientologists, Seventh Day Adventists, Baptists, Presbyterians, killing en mass lately. Have you? Not true Islam, right? Hell, even Mormons haven't put on a good massacre since 1857.

Hmmm. Tense change. Again, I'll have to get back to you post-translation.

"How dare you call me a racist! I sir, am a bigot." Bigotry covers only race, ethnicity, and class. Sorry, but my dislike/distrust of Islam isn't covered under that definition either. Neither, apparently, is your hatred of Christians. Your oft-expressed hatred of Jews is another matter however, as they are covered by all three.

I think Islam has big problems. But it is a religion, not a race of peoples. Apparently, in their typical knee-jerk stampede to label those with whom they disagree racist, everyone here is willing to believe/claim that all Arabs are Muslims and all Muslims are Arabs. (?) Seriously; you guys are the dumbest bunch of bricks on the web.

You weren't lying (again) about your resume were you?

Pat Gallagher, making shit up about a subject like racism isn't cool. When I next see you in person you're going to be asked to account for this lie. You shouldn't have posted it if you didn't want people to read it. Don't blame me, amigo. Look in the mirror; he's your problem. Posted what? Muslim bashing? That's not racism--nor is it any worse than the constant Christian bashing you are guilty of. The only difference is that my distaste for Islam is grounded in fact. I think you have issues that can only be resolved with your mouth and left nostril immersed in a mud puddle, your right elbow secured snugly behind your back.

You once claimed here that you were a "Chief Technology Officer" for a software company. Given this claim, I'm sure you can figure out something as simple as html.

Pat Gallagher, making shit up about a subject like racism isn't cool. When I next see you in person you're going to be asked to account for this lie.

Which is why I voted for him. Which is why you're an ankle-grabbing moron like the rest of your crew here.