Themis wrote:Black Moclips wrote:Well since we have devolved into what else we should ban, I assume everyone would be cool with banning alcohol, right? Because you know, its one of those things that doesn't really doesn't serve a purpose. Its just entertainment and relaxation. You could argue that a lot of people drink because its some misguided ego boost that says "Hey look, I'm an adult. I'm super manly (or womanly)". Anywhere from 80,000 to 100,000 people die each year due to the influence of alcohol. Some estimates I saw was 30 people per day die due to drunk driving (lots of innocent people). I mean, I'm willing to sacrifice everyone else's right to enjoy some spirits even if it saves one life. Even though we know there will still be drinking, its worth putting the law on the books because it will have some kind of impact, right? So who is with me? I mean, I guess we could keep crap like O'doules that you would have to drink like 1000 of to get a buzz.
While most are not calling for a ban on all guns, do you agree with the ban on machine guns?
Well just to clarify - the existing ban is on new machine guns manufactured after the date of the 1986 FOPA. Law abiding citizens can purchase and own fully automatic weapons made before that date. You just have to do the proper paperwork with the ATF. Many gun shops have them and you can rent them as long as you stay at the range, since it is technically still in their possession.
Do I agree with the legislation itself? I'm okay with it actually. Its been in place for over 30 years and I don't see a reason to change it now. Probably saves me money on ammo anyway.
But my point above with regards to alcohol, is that there are lots of things in society where we accept inherent risks in favor of some level of individual freedom. LOTS of people die from alcohol. LOTS of innocent people. But most people here are okay with alcohol because they view the risks as minimal vs the perceived benefit. They would rather have the freedom to drink responsibly, rather than give it up to save some lives by banning or making its potency next to nothing. How is that different from the topic of guns?
And guess what? If I were to die in some sort of accident, I will more than likely die from a wreck caused by a drunk driver. 1000 times more likely than dying from a mass shooting somewhere. Yet how many of us feel scared to go out driving.
It is interesting where people place their value, and what they perceive as "worth the cost". I could care less about alcohol or drinking, though I've ditched mormonisms moral prohibition. So I would be just fine with whatever ban or alcohol control law you want to implement. But I suspect some people would go bat crap crazy if that happened. And probably some of those same people rail for more gun control. Go figure.
“A government big enough to give you everything you want is a government big enough to take away everything that you have.”
