While Ziegler's letter was written under the letterhead of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, a spokesman for that office said human rights investigators like Ziegler were "independent experts who act in their personal capacity."
And by that you conclude drugs are the only factor of importance in solving these problems?
To my thinking, the problem of gang violence in California is a drug problem and not a gun problem. That's correct.
And how many people would be alive today if guns wouldn't be legalized in the US? How many people in the drugsscene? But also: how many children, wives, grandparents, friends?
That does not mean that outlawing the rest would not starve the illicit market by terminanting it's source: the legal market Finn.
Rick d'Israeli wrote:And how many people would be alive today if guns wouldn't be legalized in the US? How many people in the drugsscene? But also: how many children, wives, grandparents, friends?
The outlawing of guns will not reduce the number of drug related fire arm deaths. Most of these deaths involve guns already outlawed.
The fear is that addiction rates will sky rocket if drugs are legalized. I've yet to see any convincing evidence that this is a likely outcome of legalization, but perhaps someone can provide a source.
Craven de Kere wrote:That does not mean that outlawing the rest would not starve the illicit market by terminanting it's source: the legal market Finn.
If drugs can find there way across our borders why not guns?
Eliminating the legal manufacturing and sales of any and all guns in this country (something few if any gun control proponents are calling for) would reduce the availability of illegal guns and drive up their cost, but it would not starve the market.
.... outlawing guns is not going to make a significant dent in drug related violence.
Interesting point, actually. Should Caterpillar decide to stop selling to Israel, at least there's one company doing the right thing from a human rights perspective.
Who sells Palestinians those vests? Probably another US company.
Very interesting!
Although Americans might not see or care to acknowledge the connections we have to terrorist activities of all sorts, you can bet other countries and terrorists do.
My point is, let Israel get their bulldozers from someone else, the ones they might use for normal purposes, and otherwise.
We probably subsidize Caterpillar to provide them to Israel anyway.
All right that's about enough.
the reincarnation of suzy wrote:Interesting point, actually. Should Caterpillar decide to stop selling to Israel, at least there's one company doing the right thing from a human rights perspective.
Ya. It's monstrous for a bulldozer company to sell bulldozers. Those evil beasts.After all, some other overzealous activist might deliberately stand in the path of another one.
I didn't say caterpillar is monstrous or evil. I'm asserting that now that it's been pointed out that their equipment is being used in such an unsavory way, they are now fully equipped to make a decision one way or another.
If they should decide to STOP, that's a good decision from a human rights perspective, is it not?
the reincarnation of suzy wrote:Who sells Palestinians those vests? Probably another US company.
Very interesting!Do you have some evidence of this? Any reason whatsoever to make such an outrages claim? Or do you just enjoy implicating "US company's" in terrorist activity without a shred of proof or any conceivable reason for doing so?
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Evidence of what? I said 'probably" because someone already suggested it, and yeah, it's a possibility, isn't it? Our great nation, and certainly some of it's big companies, are historically famous for playing both sides of the deck. This is not an untruth. Akin to arming dictators while knowing we'll have to take them down later. We do it. it's not inconceivable that we're doing it in this situation. I found it a very interesting proposition. I'm not implicating any country, not am I closing my eyes to any possibility. Wouldn't that be just plain ignorant? "I don't like the implications, so i'm not going to question it- I'd rather not know". D'uh
[quote="the reincarnation of suzy"] Although Americans might not see or care to acknowledge the connections we have to terrorist activities of all sorts, you can bet other countries and terrorists do. Why? Why do you want to make the US look bad with unsubstantiated garbage like this?![]()
My point is, let Israel get their bulldozers from someone else, the ones they might use for normal purposes, and otherwise.
Evidence of what? I said 'probably" because someone already suggested it, and yeah, it's a possibility, isn't it? Our great nation, and certainly some of it's big companies, are historically famous for playing both sides of the deck. This is not an untruth. Akin to arming dictators while knowing we'll have to take them down later. We do it. it's not inconceivable that we're doing it in this situation. I found it a very interesting proposition. I'm not implicating any country, not am I closing my eyes to any possibility. Wouldn't that be just plain ignorant? "I don't like the implications, so i'm not going to question it- I'd rather not know". D'uh
Want to? I don't want to. But come on! I'm only stating the obvious, and it's no secret, Bill. Again, I should just pretend it's not true? is that what "good Americans" are required to do these days? I can't just close my eyes and pretend, because good Americans don't! It comes with the territory. We have a duty as Americans to keep our country great, not to be unquestioning drones of whoever is currently in power.
OCCOM BILL wrote:That's a stretch, Bill. I'm not. Not at all.Why on earth would you be against an American company selling non weapons related equipment around the world?
I don't need to be jaundiced to be American. Or do I? Is it now a requirement to pretend we do nothing wrong? Is it so wrong to want one's country to do better? If it is, well, then, call me unAmerican, because I'm not settling. We can do better and should always strive to.
Is this the Wall Street Journal or something?Maybe an English class? Lighten up, for crying out loud! Address the real issue! If a retraction is called for, fine, I'll retract it, professor Bill. I think people understood my statement.
Yeah, you're right. The idea of the US contributing to anything that smacks of allowing human rights violations is so far out of the realm of probability!
Yeah, ummm... okay then.
A little comprehension, please. I'm not talking about "non-military" uses, which appears quite obvious.
My point is, let Israel get their bulldozers from someone else, the ones they might use for normal purposes, and otherwise.
Further, Caterpillar and the use of it's bulldozers as weapons against human rights IS the topic, as BrandX related it. How hard is that to understand, Bill? I am addressing the topic as stated. Don't like that? Too bad!
Sigh.
Now, if you're done insulting me...? Did you have an opinion on the assertion of human rights violations for bulldozing homes? A thought of your own on the subject?
Your assertion was that outlawing guns would "not reduce the number of drug related fire arm deaths. Most of these deaths involve guns already outlawed".
As I pointed out, the idea is not for criminals to willingly volunteer to comply but rather to starve the markets.
How starvation can be achieved is a valid question to the issue of gun control but wholly unrelated to the axiom you touched on with the ole "the guns commiting crimes are already illegal" mantra.
Craven wrote:Your assertion was that outlawing guns would "not reduce the number of drug related fire arm deaths. Most of these deaths involve guns already outlawed".
As I pointed out, the idea is not for criminals to willingly volunteer to comply but rather to starve the markets.
How starvation can be achieved is a valid question to the issue of gun control but wholly unrelated to the axiom you touched on with the ole "the guns commiting crimes are already illegal" mantra.
You misunderstood my point if you interpreted it as a version of the "guns don't kill, people with guns kill" argument.
It seems to me that the only attempt at advancing an axiom on this subject is the holding that if all guns are made illegal, the illicit market will dry up, and this is, of course, your argument.
The only conceivable way that eliminating the legal manufacturing and sales of any and all guns will starve the illegal market in this country is if it is extended worldwide.
Anything is possible, but I'm afraid this one is highly unlikely for the foreseeable future, as it would require the banning of all guns, and that just ain't going to happen...whether or not it should.