Protestantism

» paper_turtle - Sick kids...

In response to Sick kids... posted by redback:

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redback wrote:
A perfect world would limit our ability to learn from the rich tapestry of life.
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True.
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Maybe places like Vermont are intended for sabbaticals only.
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LOL
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peace and love,
Paper Turtle

-- posted by paper_turtle

» pink101 - History of VA Tech

In response to Sick kids... posted by paper_turtle:
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Speaking of God's Country, I like that winding country road drive up to the Canadian boarder that runs North out of Burlington.
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But, I'm off topic.
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What's the history of Virginia Tech. It is a "land grant school" right?
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-- posted by pink101

» HeadZenCards - ...

In response to ... posted by Twice__Pardoned:

Good premise for book! Call it "This Poor Person".

His grandparents barely survived the holocaust, his dad lost a leg in vietnam, his mom took some horrid birth-defect drug but this poor person worked hard and finally made it to high school at columbine in '99 and college at virginia tech in '07.... Yet, not only did he survive but he lived to find a cure for superstition!

-- posted by HeadZenCards

» Twice__Pardoned - ...

In response to ... posted by HeadZenCards:

I know, it would be a crazy idea... Maybe we should find that person huh?

Anyway... I had to bring this back up because I wanted to point out another 'massacre' type shooting took place.

Many of you know that in KC a man went on a small rampage, only killing 4, but he also had a significant amount of time to think over his decision. This again, likie most, was an example of how this man only started because he pseudo planned the event... granted he was an idiot.

Considering all things, if the world was VOID of guns then yes, less people may have been killed... in fact I'll straight say it... less people would have been killed in these cases (unless the mad man is sadistic enough to chase down small children and elderly people with a knife) ugh....

Anyway... so I agree, should the world not have guns then murders would be less, but we can not allow the only people to have access to guns be those with no reguard to life and those with the power to control the masses.

(BTW HZ I am making general statements not directly pointed towards you, just hate to make a second post)

A slave will generally stay in slavery until either a man with a weapon equal to the size of the Master is able to 'negotiate' power OR if the masses are willing to engage in mass attacks.

I think it is still best to allow the average citizen with no history of criminal history (violent, etc...) to own weapons designed for hand to hand combat. Bombs, tanks, jets and missles should be held by State militias not individuals.

I also think that Nuclear weapons are a crime upon human civilization. They should all be sent in a tragectory towards the sun, period.

-- posted by Twice__Pardoned

» pink101 - That's The Line, Isn't It?

In response to ... posted by Twice__Pardoned:
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I think it is still best to allow the average citizen with no history of criminal history (violent, etc...) to own weapons designed for hand to hand combat. Bombs, tanks, jets and missles should be held by State militias not individuals.
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That's the line, isn't it?
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But, tell me. My friend who came back from the Iraq War told me the one thing that really upsets the soldiers is the pay scale Blackwater Mercenaries are paid in comparison to U.S. Army and Marines get.
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And, the Blackwater Mercenaries are private citizens. The company owns all sorts of military weaponry incluiding those capable of great mass destruction. And, our government pays them a very high price for their services.
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And, you think individuals should not be allowed to own these weapons? From where did you get that line?
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-- posted by pink101

» Twice__Pardoned - That's The Line, Isn't It?

In response to That's The Line, Isn't It? posted by pink101:

Well these 'Mercenaries' are not too much different than a private militia. The theory, and I understand the fear involved here, is that the mercenaries could be 'bought' out by an emeny, so to speak.

Ultimately it's a risk, just like it's a risk for us to use US tax dollars to fund a foreign militia to start a rebellion in order to overthrow a regime. But we do that too.... Not really eh heart of my message but whatever.
My point was guns should be legal with minimal restrictions to everyday lawabiding citizens.

To add a note to your first comment. You guys know when I first joined this Suite community here almost 4 years ago now (wow, I must be getting old??? hehehe) I was a Military Police Officer. When I left the service I was offered a job by an 'unnamed' contractor to use my security clearance to go to Iraq and serve as a 'mercenary'. I talked to a few people and sat through 1 interview and was declined because of my IRR (Inactive Ready Reserve) obligations and was told to come back in 2 years (which I won't do). None the less, the job I was offered was a Dog Handler, your typical Bomb sniffing Dogs, making 165 THOUSAND a year. That's a LOT of money. So, that should give you an idea... BTW a Sergeant doing the same job in the Army makes about 30K a year. =(

-- posted by Twice__Pardoned

» pink101 - That's The Line, Isn't It?

In response to That's The Line, Isn't It? posted by Twice__Pardoned:
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You have made your point and mine as well.
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Thanks.
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I respect your ability to maintain a positive perspective.
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Yup, those mercenaries ARE for sale.
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-- posted by pink101

» Migisi - HIGH TIME!!

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DUH!! As I was pointing out earlier. Too bad it took 32 deaths to close the loophole.
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Virginia Changes Law Following Shootings
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/con...
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"RICHMOND, Va. -- The governor has closed a loophole in state law that allowed the Virginia Tech gunman to pass a weapons background check despite having mental health issues.
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"Gov. Timothy M. Kaine signed an executive order Monday requiring that anyone ordered by a court to get mental health treatment be added to a state police database of people barred from buying guns.
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The order, the first change in state policy resulting from the shootings, eliminates the distinction between inpatient and outpatient mental health care as long as it is ordered by a court.
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"The Virginia Tech gunman, Seung-Hui Cho, was judged mentally ill and a danger to himself by a court in 2005. He was ordered to attend outpatient counseling.
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"But because he was not committed to a mental hospital, he was never entered into the database that licensed gun dealers use to do instant background checks before any sale. People judged as mental defectives can't legally buy guns...
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..."The executive order does not [NOTE: DOES NOT!!] apply to people who seek mental health care of their own will. After the report is added to Virginia's state police database, it becomes part of a federal database that gun dealers nationwide use.
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"Virginia already is the leading state in reporting mental health records, with more than 80,000 in the federal database. Twenty-eight states do not supply any records, either because they lack the technical ability or are barred by state privacy laws..."
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Hmm. Guess it's gonna take more mass murders to convince those other 28 states to follow suit. Hope none of us here are living in one of them.

-- posted by Migisi

» HeadZenCards - ...

In response to ... posted by Twice__Pardoned:

Imagine no religion.... nothing to kill or die for....

-- posted by HeadZenCards

» Twice__Pardoned - ...

In response to ... posted by HeadZenCards:

Religion?

I don't need religion... nobody needs religion... religion is dead and no longer useful. I agree with this, I don't understand why you're telling me???

I am not religious at all.

-- posted by Twice__Pardoned