Sunday, July 24, 2016
When Britons Wanted Guns
The Folly of Gun Control
Some acts, most people would agree, are intrinsically wrong and evil. Murder is one such case. Therefore, it makes a certain amount of sense for the government to have laws against murder. It makes sense not because anyone thinks making murder a crime will stop all murders but because it probably has some ex ante preventive effect and, more importantly, a law expedites punishment and that usually has an, albeit limited, ex post preventive effect.
Fewer people would agree that gun ownership is intrinsically wrong and evil and I am not one of them. In fact, I am hard-pressed to think of any gun law that makes much sense. The folly of gun control was highlighted once again in Munich, Germany where Ali Sonboly killed nine people with a gun recently. Although as the Telegraph (UK) notes, "Germany has relatively tough gun laws and there is no way the teen could legally have obtained the gun in his own country" the government there is calling for "EU-wide gun controls".
Here's the real kicker from the Telegraph:
Perhaps, the German government should just make the country a gun-free zone. Have a look at the photo below to see how well that worked out last year in Chattanooga, TN.
See also: "Will Obama call for truck control after Nice attack"
Fewer people would agree that gun ownership is intrinsically wrong and evil and I am not one of them. In fact, I am hard-pressed to think of any gun law that makes much sense. The folly of gun control was highlighted once again in Munich, Germany where Ali Sonboly killed nine people with a gun recently. Although as the Telegraph (UK) notes, "Germany has relatively tough gun laws and there is no way the teen could legally have obtained the gun in his own country" the government there is calling for "EU-wide gun controls".
Here's the real kicker from the Telegraph:
A 2014 police inquiry found there are 5.6 [million] legally owned weapons in Germany — including shotguns and hunting rifles — but estimated there are four times as many illegal weapons in the country. Just five per cent of guns recovered from crime scenes were legally held with a license.In other words, 95% of guns used by criminals in Germany were illegal. So, just who are the German authorities most likely to disarm? Hint: It's not the criminals. Sure, some criminals might be momentarily inconvenienced but at what expense to otherwise law-abiding Germans? You can be sure, too, the black market will expand to fill any void created by the new gun laws.
Perhaps, the German government should just make the country a gun-free zone. Have a look at the photo below to see how well that worked out last year in Chattanooga, TN.
See also: "Will Obama call for truck control after Nice attack"
Labels: civil liberties, crime, critical thinking, guns
Thursday, July 21, 2016
One Woman's Experience of "Male Privilege"
The video above is from a 2006 ABC News 20/20 segment entitled "A Self-Made Man". Norah Vincent's experiences as "Ned" were the basis of her book Self-Made Man: My Year Disguised as a Man (Viking, 2006).
Sunday, July 17, 2016
Quotable: One Book
... anyone who thinks one book has all the answers hasn't read enough books.
Source: Character of Noreen in Saga (Image Comics, 2016) vol. 6, chap. 34 by Fiona Staples and Brian K. Vaughn.
Labels: art and literature, critical thinking, quotations, Saga
Sunday, July 10, 2016
Quotable: A Pitfall of Centralization
Where there is greatness, great government or power ... error is also great.
Source: Character of Pontius Pilate in William Wyler's film Ben-Hur (1959).
Labels: anarchism, film & television, government, quotations
Thursday, July 07, 2016
Creative Maladjustment Week
Philosophy and Principles
"There are some things in our world to which I'm proud to be maladjusted." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
Who are the Creatively Maladjusted?
- Critical thinkers: The creatively maladjusted focus on a problematic area of society (something to which people of good will simply can't be adjusted) with critical thought, examining the history of a bad idea, its branchings and consequences — the better to weed it out, roots and all.
- Architects of alternatives: Not merely content with tearing down an existing structure, the creatively maladjusted offer alternatives and are willing to demonstrate those alternatives with good cheer and positivity in public places. They believe that loving and loud public action is the foundation of a true non-violent revolution.
- Believers in humanity: Most importantly of all, the creatively maladjusted resist the pressure to dehumanize any and all of their fellow men. They believe in the inherent uniqueness and worth of every individual and demonstrate this belief in every action they take.
What are they creatively maladjusted to?
The Creatively Maladjusted are active on a variety of important societal issues, including:
• Racial equality • Religious tolerance • Economic fairness • Peace • Ecological sustainability and energy security • Individual liberty • Fighting psychiatric profiling and human rights abuses in the mental health system • Transparent and corruption-free government • Community and family values
The creatively maladjusted are incredibly diverse in the societal problems they aim to solve, but they are united in their opposition to the basis of all oppression: "man's inhumanity to man."
See also:
- "Martin Luther King on the International Association for the Advancement of Creative Maladjustment"
- Ambrose Bierce's definition of "mad"
Labels: critical thinking, culture, psychology
