RE: Science has a new Martyr

[Jean-Louis Couturier]

On Mon, 11 Jun 2001 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

> In the case of firearms, though, we aren't talking about likelihood to
> kill, but rather the likelihood they will be used to kill someone, or
> several someones.
> 
> Judged strictly on likelihood to kill, my bookcase can kill someone if
> it falls on him. But until I hear about a mass bookcase slaying, I
> don't think stricter controls on it as a potential weapon are
> warranted.

There is a distinction between firearms and bookcases, though, and that is
the purpose.  Bookcase accidents don't usually happen because the intended
use of a bookcase is not to push it towards a target.  This means that some
stupid person won't take someone else as a target and pretend pushing the
bookcase towards that person as a "joke".

Jean-Louis Couturier