RE: Just When You Thought Arizona Couldn't Get Stupider...
April 17, 2011 at 1:42 pm
(This post was last modified: April 17, 2011 at 1:46 pm by reverendjeremiah.)
(April 17, 2011 at 1:29 pm)Minimalist Wrote:Quote:This country was not only founded upon the right to bare arms, but also is the reason we won it in the first place.
Mythology. The "Minute Men" who responded to the British march on Lexington were members of local militia companies who had been training with muskets. The whole point of the operation the British undertook was to seize supplies allegedly being stockpiled at Concord by the Massachusetts militia.
It was not until those militiamen were whipped into shape (by Von Stueben among others) that we were able to stand up to the British in a pitched battle. The notion of some bozo grabbing his hunting rifle off the wall and going out to shoot redcoats is absurd.
The communities were, for the most part back then, very small. Maybe the millitia were employed by companies in bigger cities, such as Mass or Phily, but as far as most of the other communities it was very much farmers and landed gentry who made up the majority of the local militia which was a custom going back to the early colonial days to be on the watch for any local native attacks. Many would be socialising in local Free Mason chapters, which explains alot of why the founding leaders were so heavily Mason affiliated. Min is only part right. Some of it was company endorsed surely. Some of it was also community endorsed.
(April 17, 2011 at 3:06 am)Zen Badger Wrote: If Americans demand the right to go around armed to the teeth in order to feel safe then go for it.
But please don't get all cut up and cry why,why,why, when incidents like Columbine happen.
Because THAT is the inevitable consequence of having a gun culture where weaponary is so freely available.
Wait..are you saying that because our country allows its citizens to arm itself, that we should not get upset when a murder spree happens? And how exactly does a community allowing the right to bare arms become the "inevitable consequence" of kids shooting up schools?
I personally think it is a culture of fear, racism, cut throat capitalism, and the acceptance of bullying those different than you as "normal kid stuff" as being the reason for the shootings.
