I agree with Jan. I had tried to convey similar thoughts in
http://www.mccmedia.com/pipermail/brin-l/Week-of-Mon-20030526/021080.html
He says, "Without firearms the violent power is in the hands of those with
superior
size and/or years of training.", and I would like to temper that statement.
"Power is always violent, it is whether you use it and how that makes the
difference."
My Sifu (I trained in Kung-Fu -- let's not get into the multiple spellings...)
gave us a
hierarchy of actions when faced with by a situation (this over 40 years old.)
1. Run whenever possible.
2. Block, block and the opponent will tire and give up after 3 minutes.
3. If agression continues, slap the face hard -- call his attention, he may
stop.
4. When agression continues, you have a street fighter, so hurt him harder.
5. Still not wanting to end the confrontation?, pull a rib, break the
collarbone.
6. Opponent keeps on coming, you have a problem on your hands.
He is derranged and you will have to resort to terminal measures,
otherwise, the opponent will come back at you on their terms.
- Always protect the weak faced with agression but not necessarily with
violence.
- Never be an agressor. (it is this last point that I refer to in my "tempering
statement".)
BTW, I've never needed to go past number 3.
Cheers!
--
Han Tacoma
~ Artificial Intelligence is better than none! ~
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jan Coffey" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Killer Bs Discussion" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Sunday, June 01, 2003 3:00 PM
Subject: Re: Brin: Brin 9/11 statement shown accurate again
> --- "d.brin" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> >There is a big
> > difference between pen knives - which can be overcome by a roused
> > majority if brandished by an idiot... and guns which allow an idiot
> > to cow a majority.
>
> Ture: ...however, the other side is----
>
> Without firearms people still kill.
> Without firearms the violent power is in the hands of those with superior
> size and/or years of training.
>
> Firearms are the grate equalizer. For instance, the largest brute in the
> neighborhood cant just come and take your mate whenever he wants, because you
> (or your mate) will take out your Glock and end his life. And don't tell me
> this is far fetched because I have been placed in that situation.
>
> Unfortunately the equalizer also raises the stakes. Idiots with guns are much
> worse than idiots with knives. But they aren't really any worse than an idiot
> --who is physically larger and more powerful-- with knives.
>
> If there wern't many violent idiots then a gun free society would just make
> sense. But unfortunately that is just not the case.
>
> Since the UK has banned firearms violent crime (especially those involving a
> perps with firearms) has gone up. Since Texas & Nevada have relaxed their
> concealed carry laws violent crime (especially those involving a perp with a
> gun) have gone down.
>
> Put Firearms in the hands of teachers, and train them how to properly use
> them, and violence in schools will go down.
>
> It seems counter intuitive, but that's the way it seems to work. Think of it
> this way, Terrorists, (and other idiots) go for soft targets, make everything
> a hard target and you reduced their ability, and more important their
> willingness to strike.
>
> Jan
>
> Cold-and-Hard Maru
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