[paraclete]

I pray it is temporary, the fires are within 50 km I had hoped they were moving in the other direction but it seems not, the roads are closed to the east and the smoke is back after a brief respite yesterday, it rolls in like a fog

What makes it worse is the loonies are raving about climate change and there have been worse climate events over the last century.

[talaniman]

I feel ya! I feel the same when a loony hollers about his rights after many die in a mass shooting.

[paraclete]

No comparison Tal, no man with a gun destroyed 800 homes and 1 million acres although he might have killed the same number of people. I cannot understand this american obsession with the gun either, or the obsession with gun rights but then your ethos is different to ours, our nation wasn't forged with the gun

[talaniman]

Come on Clete, your people didn't beat the aboriginis into submission with rocks and clubs.

[paraclete]

Come on Clete, your people didn't beat the aboriginies into submission with rocks and clubs.

It is debatable how many there were and many died of disease, no immunity to things like small pox, and other european iiseases. Yes, there were a couple of small wars, but spears don't work against guns and horses. Don't think of our indigenous as highly organised or settled like your own. Our settlers thought of the indigenous as part of the fauna, and honestly, I think the kangaroos are capable of putting up more fight. The abo's were raiders, after food, not victories, when they did attack settlers they had no concept of fighting from cover. A rifle has greater range than a spear so a few troops and determined land holders quickly overran them. Our dangerous animals didn't need a gun, just a stick

[talaniman]

Where ever Euros go they kill just by breathing on the population, and those noisey sticks quell the rest. Easy pickings for the noble conquerors.

[paraclete]

Not suggesting those who came here were noble, you wouldn't find a british noble that far from home, not after Cornwallis got his nose bloodied, it took a while before they ventured into the colonies again

[jlisenbe]

but spears don't work against guns

Exactly correct.

[paraclete]

Ok Buudy what can you hit with a spear at a hundred yards or even fifty

[jlisenbe]

Ok Buudy what can you hit with a spear at a hundred yards or even fifty

That's kind of the point. When faced with a gun, I need a gun to defend myself. Lessor weapons just won't do.

[paraclete]

That's what comes of letting people have guns

[jlisenbe]

That's what comes of letting people have guns

Like criminals?

[Wondergirl]

Like criminals?

No, like my NRA husband who nearly shot our neighborlady for coming over after dark to borrow some eggs for a cookie recipe.

[talaniman]

That's kind of the point. When faced with a gun, I need a gun to defend myself. Lessor weapons just won't do.

Didn't you learn anything from those old westerns when you were a kid? A bad gun with a gun never announces himself preferring the ambush to any rules of honor and fair play. So good luck protecting yourself when they get the drop on you, and take all your guns money or whatever else they want!

Heaven forbid you make a mistake and kill somebody because you feel threatened and find out the neighbors kid was just selling prom tickets. I thought you of all people trusted God, his will and judgement. I guess you think you need a back up?

Not suggesting those who came here were noble, you wouldn't find a british noble that far from home, not after Cornwallis got his nose bloodied, it took a while before they ventured into the colonies again

I guess you guys and the gun things evolved after you conquered the land you now own.

Like criminals?

Sure do as the criminal does with your good intentions.

[jlisenbe]

Didn't you learn anything from those old westerns when you were a kid? A bad gun with a gun never announces himself preferring the ambush to any rules of honor and fair play. So good luck protecting yourself when they get the drop on you, and take all your guns money or whatever else they want!

So now you want to formulate policy based on old Western movies? Go for it if you want to, but I won't be with you on that one. People use guns in self defense dozens of times every day. I'll bet you have one. I'll bet you have more than one,

Heaven forbid you make a mistake and kill somebody because you feel threatened and find out the neighbors kid was just selling prom tickets. I thought you of all people trusted God, his will and judgement. I guess you think you need a back up?

I'm very careful when I handle a gun. Trusting God? Yeah, I trust God and own a gun just like I trust in God and lock my doors at night and don't drive down certain streets at night. Trusting God doesn't mean you go out and behave stupidly.

[talaniman]

So now you want to formulate policy based on old Western movies? Go for it if you want to, but I won't be with you on that one. People use guns in self defense dozens of times every day. I'll bet you have one. I'll bet you have more than one,

Never allowed a gun in my house EVER! If I wanted one I would have one in short order though. Doesn't mean we don't enjoy the target range though.

I'm very careful when I handle a gun. Trusting God? Yeah, I trust God and own a gun just like I trust in God and lock my doors at night and don't drive down certain streets at night. Trusting God doesn't mean you go out and behave stupidly.

I could tell you stories of my youth, and like the old westerns many lessons learned. Nothing to do with making gun policy, but does influence my own personal policy, words, and actions. I try to just keep learning more. Maybe one day we can have a logical gun policy without the fear.

[jlisenbe]

I could tell you stories of my youth, and like the old westerns many lessons learned. Nothing to do with making gun policy, but does influence my own personal policy, words, and actions. I try to just keep learning more. Maybe one day we can have a logical gun policy without the fear.

Fair enough statement.

[talaniman]

Same goes for this climate change stuff!

[jlisenbe]

I am convinced that changing the CO2 content of the atmosphere is a lousy idea, but as to a solution, I don't see one. The Green New Deal is the dumbest idea out there.

[talaniman]

Not the dumbest. Doing nothing is much dumber.