Let me start of by saying that this is all Ed's fault ( ) for thinking tempers shouldn't flair over hot topics. Here is what he said in the General Annoyance thread...

I don't get it (actually I do, but for the sake of argument...), why is it that conversations about the 2d amendment, relegion, abortion, the death penalty, war...(fill in the blank with your own hot button issue) necessarily degrade into either a shouting match, a fistfight, a gunfight, or hurt feelings?

What ever happened to debate, well reasoned (or otherwise) discussion, respect for opposing points of view? I firmly believe that the core issue with this thread (and my questions) is a lack of respect for anyone other than oneself, i.e. selfishness. Although I don't always live up to my ideal, I firmly believe that if one of my opinions is challenged and I don't have a reason for that opinion/belief, then I should be willing to consider the alternative. It seems that more and more often people confuse personal attack with debate. The loudest, meanest, most vulgar individual wins. Rather than suggesting that an opposing opinion may be flawed because...(fill in a logical argument), the typical response is if you don't agree with me, you're stupid, or more common these days, you're evil!

Showing respect for another does not require that you to agree with them, it requires civility.
Ed... I have to commend you for some very insightful words. I like them... and I wish they would always work. I'm ok with conversations about topics like this as long as that is what the discussion is about in the beginning and it doesn't come out of the air... with the air being someone's methane. Here is why I think it is so hard to live up to your words, however.

  • Debates assume that two opinions can be given and the observer should be able to make a choice between the two by listening to the respective arguments.
The thing is that on issues like guns and abortion, and politics, people have already locked in firmly to the side in which they believe. It doesn't matter how many convincing points are made with common sense as a companion. Neither side is going to change their mind... Someone always says something stupid. When the other person responds to the stupidity, the war of words begin.

Allow me to illiterateillustrate, for those of you who didn't get it... )
Guns Kill People
No kidding... but that's a stupid catch-phrase argument for not allowing guns. So, the gun advocate comes back with an insult, and there ya go. It's on...

Seems like "debatable" threads always get a share of gun ownership being mentioned when they have nothing to do with the original topic. Well, everyone can get it out of their system now. Let's do all of them. Guns, politics, and abortion. Let's see how long it stays civil.

Here is my prediction. I think everyone will pretty much behave on this thread 'cause they won't want to let Ed down, including me. But after a hundred posts, maybe we could see if anyone has changed their opinion from when the thread was first started. I think that count will be ZERO.

Here is my take on guns. Everyone should have a gun and know how to use it, with one single rule for the ownership... each person is held accountable for its use. Here's a catch phrase that California uses for the commission of crimes. "Use a gun and you're done."

If someone robbed a store and killed the clerk with a gun he/she should be executed, in my book. (Oh wow, death penalty too) But if you don't execute him, keep him in prison for his natural life... without a TV or conjugal visits, and only allowed out of the cell for an hour a day to shower and excercise.

Our country is based on the Constitution. The 2nd amendment to the Constitution reads like this.

A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

Let the debate begin... I promise to be nice on this thread

Oh, and I wonder how civil Ed would be if people started a petition here in California to clear-cut the entire Sequoia forest?