sinker

i don't have any stats in hand, but that I'm sure plays a BIG part in it... the same can be said for the number of kids that get kills by guns every year... the number is artificially inflated by including kids over 17 or 18 AND who are involved in gangs. The number of kids getting killed by guns is actually quite small... I'm sure Kennedy could rapidly find actually numbers for us AND where "Guns" factor in in terms of highest causes of death for kids... BEFORE anyone flames me, let me catagorically say that ANY kid dying at the hands of a gun is a tragedy. -the artist formerly known as sinker

Claiming that guns equal safety is like claiming that airbags equal safety, or that taking vitamin B12 means you will live to be 100 years old. Anyone who believes such things, IMO, is skipping over 99% of the picture. Carrying a gun is _one_ part of staying safe - in my opinion, a very small part. Properly used they will help you more often than they hurt you, but you can do far more to keep yourself safe by using your brain before you ever pick up a gun (or a knife, or a club.) *** no argument from me there... and most of the pro-gun literature I read says the same thing... having a gun is not the universal solvent. as you say, in the hands of someone properly trained, a gun can be a huge asset... one that can keep you from being killed... but they can hurt too, no question... The statement I made about never being a victim again... it is really a slogan, a mantra, something to live by. of course it doesn't mean I won't ever be a victim again, but I for one am tired of crime and seeing innocent people hurt by criminals. In my neighborhood we're involved in alot more than just "packing heat." Block watches, meeting new neighbors, making people feel welcome, keeping the hood clean, alarm systems, watching each others backs, reporting wreckless drivers on neighborhood streets, these just might do MORE To prevent crime in our neighborhood than people simply knowing that I'm always armed. -the artist formerly known as sinker

more shitty double standards... c'mon people, wake up!!! let's take kennedy's example a little further... say it's your SISTER who wakes up to find some guy performing sex acts on her w/o her permission. what are YOU going to do? You'll probably want to rip off various parts of his anatomy. But if the genders are reversed and it's your brother in that position, you'll just tease him and call him a sissy... -the artist formerly known as sinker

As Kennedy said before, just b/c you have thus far been able to stay safe in "sketchy" areas does nothing to negate the value of having a gun for personal protection. Maybe you've just been lucky. Maybe those areas weren't so "sketchy" after all. Maybe you just happened to fall into that 96% Kennedy was referring to. BUT just MAYBE, next time you're in a "sketchy" area, you won't be so lucky. Maybe you'll be mugged. raped. abducted. murdered. And it doens't only happen in "sketchy" areas. It is a very common phenomenon that after a woman is a victim of a violent crime, she buys a gun and learns to use it b/c she decided "I WILL NOT BE A VICTIM AGAIN!" Do you honestly think that if you're asleep on a couch (usually keep in the front room or living room, closer to the entrance to the abode) and someone breaks in that you'll be able to get up and run? Maybe, but maybe not. And if you keep your gun locked up and inaccessible, of course you won't be able to get to it in time. That's part of the problem w/ the whole "it's ok to have a gun in your home, just keep it locked up!" What the hell good is a gun for personal protection when it's LOCKED UP??? True, it should be kept out of reach of children. You know, my gun is only locked up when I'm not carrying it w/ me and I'm out of the house. If I'm home, it's out. And it's usually on my person. You may have house insurance, but I have gun insurance. I don't have to go unlock the safe, retrieve the gun, and hope the intruder hasn't closed the distance to me to prevent me from using it. And no body has the right to harm my family. As the husband and father of my family, it's my obligation to protect them in the best way possible. And you better believe that my kids know the rules of guns. Guns have been demystified for them. They know what it can do to others. They don't fear them, they have a healthy respect for them. -the artist formerly known as sinker

another pm sent -the artist formerly known as sinker

PM sent -the artist formerly known as sinker

the ONE good decision he made in the whole video... was to never jump again... -the artist formerly known as sinker

i don't mean to paint the picture of women just flippantly saying "oh, i'm knocked up again, better go see Planned Barrenhood -- I mean Parenthood -- after my nail appt." Sure it's a difficult decision... but you've got to be blind to not see that 1.5 million abortions per year (Guttmacher's stats, not mine) doesn't point squarely to a matter of "convenience." And it's really not hard to see that it was the advent and proliferation of artificial birth control that paved the way for abortion on demand in this country. -the artist formerly known as sinker

why is he a dork? doesn't he have just as much say so as a woman over what does or does not happen to his body? what a shitty double standard you're perpetuating. -the artist formerly known as sinker

What I meant was that they could teach "birth control pills are hormone pills that, when taken every day, prevent ovulation and implantation. The church is against these because they can prevent an embryo from implanting, and the church believes a baby is created when sperm and egg meet." Give the info, and then the explanation. Just saying "birth control is bad" with no explanation as to how it works or why its bad doesn't make any sense the school I was at acted like birth control didn't exist*** and I agree, that's a shame... I don't think bc choices should be offered, but education on them and, as you say, why the Church is against them, giving accurate and thoughtful education, would go far I think... -the artist formerly known as sinker

Regardless of what you teach kids, some of them are going to have sex before they get married, so it makes sense to address the issues rather than pretending they don't exist. *** the church doesn't 'pretend' the issues don't exist. as I said on another thread recently, teaching something is bad/wrong/sinful but then teaching how to do or us such a thing is contradictory. what the church should do MORE of is to teach people HOW to live chastely according to their state in life, i.e. single, married, etc. and above all... the church should continue to teach personal accountability for one's actions. if you have sex, even when on birth control, you just may get pregnant. that's the problem w/ BC... it attempts to remove the potential responsibility of becoming a parent... but it sometimes fails... and when it fails, there is always the ultimate in irresponsibility, abortion. on a totally unrelatd note, you have a nice web site. -the artist formerly known as sinker

thanks for chiming in... -the artist formerly known as sinker

Bill, what is your position on guns, concealed carry, etc.? (Not trying to bait you, honestly interested.) -the artist formerly known as sinker

I, for one, am not willing to take my chances on that one... but others? feel free... -the artist formerly known as sinker

sometimes but not always. That's what gets me about some of the pro-gun people here though - the sentiment I'm getting (whether right or wrong I don't know it's just what I'm getting) is that guns will solve the worlds problems. I disagree. Well, I think here is the crux of the matter.. most pro-gun people I know, including myself, do NOT think guns will solve the world's problems. But they DO "solve" (not really the best word) SOME of the problems... my Kimber 45 that is sitting here with me as I type sure as shit will "solve" the problem of a home invader trying to harm my family. As for other societal problems, there are other appropriate solutions that may or not be utilized. -the artist formerly known as sinker

I don't think you should be in situations with your weapon that you wouldn't normally go into unarmed.*** please elaborate. -the artist formerly known as sinker

I think you're right about that... which is really more telling considering that the states wherein concealed carry has been passed have seen decreases in violent crime, attributed to CCW legislation. It doesn't take "every Joe" carrying a gun to deter crime or to stop criminals in the act... just knowing that you MIGHT be armed is enough to keep the coward criminals looking for an easier target. -the artist formerly known as sinker

Guy in a crowded bar pulls a gun and I'm in arms reach - I think I can effectively defend myself. Former Marine aren't you? YOU can perhaps, others may not be as fortunate. And, not all instances occur w/i arms reach. That's another benefit of legally armed citizens... the gun allows for some "distance" to hopefully occur. W/i arms reach, such an encounter may not give you time to go for your own gun. However, if you ARE armed and can safely deploy your firearm, at least you have another option. -the artist formerly known as sinker

Two men in Chicago leaving a taxi behind me. Another on in NY in the street. I still trust my eyes. Call it BS, I don't care. *** I for one believe you... there are people who, for one reason or another, disobey the law. I would say that most are criminals who couldn't give a damn about the law anyway, but others carry inspite of laws forbidding it b/c they feel that the law prohibiting them from carrying a weapon is unjust and unjust laws need not be followed. -the artist formerly known as sinker

You can't kill someone with a gun if you don't have a gun. *** nor can you defend yourself effectively from a criminal who HAS a gun... and they all too often do have them. nor can you defend your family from thugs who are bent on abducting your child or raping your wife. guns are more effective than other impliments in terms of detering a criminal from further action and in neutralizing a threat. and that is the aim of self-defense w/ a firearm, neutralizing an immediate threat to life or limb, not the killing of a criminal. it just so happens that a criminal MAY die as a result of being stopped by a gun wielding citizen. -the artist formerly known as sinker

but "criminal protection zone," although having emotinal appeal, is really a more apt description, since it is well known that a mere sign declaring an area as gun-free does nothing to deter a gun-toting criminal. However, general law abiding citizens, acting as they are used to, disarm themselves in such zones. Criminals know this and act accordingly. As for the buzz terms "cop-killer" bullets and "assault weapons," they really are nothing but emotion-provoking, leftist-engineered slogans designed to advance their agenda. Practically any weapon can become an "assault weapon," according to the definition under the now-defunct Clinton Assault Weapons Ban (thank God) and BATFE, simply by adding asthetic attachments, such as pistol grip, bipod, bayonet lug, detachable magazine. AK-47s were legally bought and sold during the AWB, as long as they didn't have two or more of the above mentioned items. -the artist formerly known as sinker

There's a reason people call them Criminal Protection Zones, or Victim Disarmament Zones, rather than Gun Free Zones. Maybe the best name would be Legally-Owned-and-Used-Gun Free Zones*** I keep a couple of stickers on hand when I'd debating anti-gun folks. One says, "this home protected by the second amendment" and has a picture of a pistol on it. This is the one on display at my house. The second says "gun-free home." I always invite the gun-grabber anti-gunner to display this in their home... that usually ends the debate right there, w/ statements like, "are you crazy? I don't want a would-be home invader to know I'm not armed!" Gun-toters one, Gun-fearing-wussies zero -the artist formerly known as sinker

... unless it involves those evil catholics who started the inquisition... just kidding man, just a joke man, just a joke. btw, i'm as against the death penalty as you are, surprise surprise. Actually, I don't even advocate killing Catholics. -the artist formerly known as sinker

... unless it involves those evil catholics who started the inquisition... just kidding man, -the artist formerly known as sinker

Your post doesn't reflect that you can see both sides of this story. Instead, it is accusing people of overreacting to a horrible, haneous (sp) act. I know very well what we're doing in other countries. That, in no way, justifies assholes calling and physically visiting families of military personnel and saying they've died. It's terrorism, man, just another form of terrorism. The families of the military didn't decide to go into Afghanistan (sp) and Iraq, our President did. But these jerks probably don't have the balls to go pull a "prank" (as you call it) on him... -the artist formerly known as sinker