From: gress@ucsu.Colorado.EDU (GRESS  JOSEPH JOHN  )
Subject: Re: With Friends Like These -- L. Neil Smith
Nntp-Posting-Host: ucsu.colorado.edu
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
Lines: 33

In article <C5D05G.6xw@undergrad.math.uwaterloo.ca> papresco@undergrad.math.uwaterloo.ca (Paul Prescod) writes:
>In article <1993Apr10.155819.18237@sco.com> allanh@sco.COM (Allan J. Heim) writes:
>>Look, if you can figure out a reliable means of keeping guns away from
>>bad people, while not interfering with good people, I think we'd all be
>>for it.  The problem is, the methods we're using now don't do the trick.
>
>Don't manufacture them.  Don't sell them.  Don't import them.
>
>Some guns will get through, but far fewer, and far less people will
>die because of them.  Hunting weapons could be allowed, of course, as
>long as they are big, and bulky, and require reloading after a few
>shots (how many times can you shoot at the same animal, anyways One
>assumes they are moving!)
>
>
First of all let's assume that you are right that fewer guns would make it 
in to the country, that sounds great (to those that see guns as inherently
evil) except then every one  of those guns would be in the hands  of someone
who obviously couldn't care less about following the law, after all they 
got the gun illegally, so is more likely to commit a crime with that gun.
Great then everyone with a gun is likely to use it in a crime, nice system.

Now  as to reducing the number of guns  coming into society by making it 
illegal to manufacture, sell, or import them in this coutry,  let me use
a parallel for empiric evidence.  The amount of cocaine in this country is
far less since its manufacture, sale, and importation was out lawwed.    If
that last statement is true then perhaps we should consider your plan.  This 
could also apply to drugs in general.

PLAIN OLD  JOE
>


