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To: m1911
So you'd prefer to charge a shopkeeper who gave an insane person a gun, even though you won't give him an effective way to find out if the purchaser is insane? [emphasis added]

I won't give him an effective way?

I'm reminded of something a wise man once said.

"Socialism, like the ancient ideas from which it springs, confuses the distinction between government and society. As a result of this, every time we object to a thing being done by government, the socialists conclude that we object to its being done at all.
We disapprove of state education. Then the socialists say that we are opposed to any education. We object to a state religion. Then the socialists say that we want no religion at all. We object to a state-enforced equality. Then they say that we are against equality. And so on, and so on. It is as if the socialists were to accuse us of not wanting persons to eat because we do not want the state to raise grain."

The purpose of this law is to jusfity bigger, more intrusive government. It is intended to make certain politicians look like they're tough on crime. As with every government program it will invariably fail, facilitate misuse and abuse, and give politicians a reason to increase funding in the future when it doesn't produce the desired results. It will become a political football. Once it gets enacted it will become nearly impossible to repeal. Any attempt to cut funding will bring accusations from the opposition of being soft on crime or of being gun fanatics.

114 posted on 11/14/2002 9:30:26 PM PST by Alan Chapman
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To: Alan Chapman
Yeah, he was a clever cookie alright.

Of course, many people educate their children, go to church, give to the poor, and raise food without the government.

How many keep lists of those commited for mental problems?

You still haven't given a viable solution for the shopkeeper's dilemna. You agree it should be a crime, thereby putting the responsibility on him to determine mental fitness, so you've already loaded the weight of the state on his back, but without giving him any tools to comply with the law. Oh dear, I said "giving" again.

To paraphrase that wise man: "The state is that great fictitious entity by which everyone seeks enforcement of those gun laws with which they agree at the expense of someone else."
115 posted on 11/15/2002 1:30:49 AM PST by m1911
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