Anything Goes : Gun Control, let's get real here folks. No shouting, no name calling, no anger, no staticstics. by James Holzrichter

WELL SAID!

I would want a faster car, and a sharp bend in the road.

A: baseball bat, clean & simple, break a few bones but the guy is still alive and punishment is served :D

a wood one though, not those aluminium 1s

Taser gun!

lmao

It could be a cheap and stealthy way to get some story ideas, just sayin'. :) I like the idea of the baseball bat, (showing you would not like to kill), but, he would have a good chance to run you over as you have to get out of the car to hit him with it. A faster car is a good idea, just be careful on that bend.

taser, not a bad idea, you could in theory stay in your car if it was a ranged one.

Oh just so you know I am not a writer so I personally won't be using anything in a story. But I don't mind if someone out there takes this and writes a short.

A taser gun disables the aggressor, however, I feel taser guns should be modified to also disrupt the DNA structures of the the overly-aggressive male, rendering them sterile, lowering testosterone/dehydroepiandrosterone levels permanently, thus taking them out of the gene pool, hopefully out of a life of rage and makng them into fine contra-altos or soprano singers in the church choir. A fix for the road-rager is a sensing system in his car that determined androgen dysfunctions, which, if in rage mode, causes a needle to rise from his car seat to do a lumbar puncture and then inject brain- modifying hormones to calm if first offense, a castrating drug if second offense and a lethal concoction if third offense.

Max: Great plot idea(s) for a TV series.

Or a recruiting tactic for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

Aloha Wayne, If we have an 'Anything Goes' post then anything goes. I am 'anti-gun everything' having had the unique experience of a shotgun blast ripping into my abdomen, which brought about instant diabetes and a life of gun awareness from the victim's pov and fear of white, black and brown society in general. Bang! That is how fast it happens and then you are on the ground if shot in the torso or head. Oh, the aggressor will regret that bit of insane road rage till the end of his days. All over a quick trip to 7-11 for a six pack... As an actor, try to imagine a 4-10 load of buck shot, at point blank range, exploding into your body. My bet is you will never get it right no matter how much you practice it and you'll never understand the pain factor. I am the authority on that specific subject and therefore one who can state the pros and cons regarding gun violence from literally being on the receiving end of America's wild west heritage and myopia. This is a valid forum post, as James asks for discussion over a hypothetical situation which may be experienced by many in our aggressive world— the posited question is: in what way will you defend your life and property? An artist takes the variables of this quandary, over a seemingly impossible situation involving two side of the question and through dramatic forms creates a metaphor of life or death that transcends the politics of the vitriolic or irrational. However, the politics of gun violence must and should be discussed by artists, especially film makers as they sometimes place the gun as the final arbiter to only-for-money, pulp-fiction aggressive testosterone drenched stories, usually without considering the consequences. And yes coffee is the method to get dialogue rolling, but perhaps not in the coffee bean producing country of Guatamala where the murder by gun death rate is the highest in the world and road rage is dealt with by AK-15s and no questions asked.

Aloha Sam, YOU WROTE: In all of this time I have never been injured. I think you missed the point of my discourse. Let me put it another way, I suffered traumatic injury and because of this I feel our society is ignorant of its place in the bigger picture of humanity and peaceful interactions on a higher plane. Not to go rabid, but I'll add one more point, victims of gun violence/trauma are rarely pro gun. And I am the absolute authority on the exact moment the projectile struck me. My nervous system exists to quantify and qualify pain from foreign objects. I know the smell of blood mixed with pancreatic fluids and I have seen the immense flow of blood that pours out, the contents of my stomach spilling out and the small particles of lipids (fat) floating in the blood. I am an expert witness to the psychological process the nervous system undergoes when overwhelmed by an event that has no equal in my memory or a priori existence. I am witness to the thousands of hormones flowing in a moment of absolute panic as my body attempted to compensate my inner survival systems to remain alive. As a writer I deal in the emotions, mal-emotions and the pain of the body, mind and spirit in extremis: empathy, grief, despair, desolation and depression. You might consider a refresher course on human anatomy, especially the aspects involved in the fight or flight response. Your statements about gonadal steroids are incorrect. You might also research adrenergic antagonists, as it is a fascinating aspect to that you are in some way implicating in human biology and aggression in an unusual way. Thanks for responding and stating your opinion. I respect it and I apologize for any mistakes made. One must think of the people who survived violent gun attacks and the price society pays in so many ways as they will always be in a place and pain few people really understand ... or want to understand. And then there is the near death experience involving Dimethyltryptamine that I would have never experienced without gun violence in the neighbourhood. of my youth... but that is better left to another day and another screenplay. The peace and love and aloha that flourishes in Hawaii is, I believe, related to our very strict and sensible gun laws. Best to you -m å x

atomic bomb seems to be just a little itchy comparing to the power of the union of the humans in love vibration... guns and control would just blow away to some black hole.... So Love each other like a family.. everyone helps everyone...

Actually I think both of you are very good authorities on the subject. The dinamics of a gun shot wound are far greater than the open visible wound. Most bullets are travelling faster then the speed of sound, causing a supersonic preasure wave in front of the bullet. If the bullet stops inside of the body, then it has transferred all of it's energy to the flesh. The shockwave that this causes is visible in super slow motion film, but it happens so fast that it can not be seen with the eye. The shock wave travels over the whole body, causing injury to the surrounding organs, resulting in massive shock. Depending on where the bullet penetrates this can result in instant death even if major organs are not directly penetrated. The pain would be greater then that of a broken bone. On the flip side simply having the bullet does not the injury. In my state, New Hampshire, you have to take safety school to get a hunting permit, if you are using a gun or a bow. It is not expensive but it is required. A similar course is required for carrying concealed, and you can even get full auto if you take the Federal license class for arms dealers and gunsmiths. I have also seen a little invention for semi auto that makes it as fast as full auto. A little crank you put on the trigger, myself I don't really like the crank it looks awkward to use but 30 rounds goes by as fast as you can crank. So where do both sides go from here? How do we come up with some way to feel a bit safer and also not disarm all the people? Cars, large boats, airplanes, trains and most powered transports require a license and a test to aquire. One thing I don't want is another license to get, BUT I don't mind getting a safety certificate for going through a safety course. It did not hurt my chances of bow hunting, (of course my father had already taught me beginning at 5 years old about safety). When I do practice hunting, I use my bow not a gun. I also don't take any game becaue I don't need them for food. I do own guns and I am a sharpshooter. But I don't carry them with the hopes of using them against someone. There are a lot of people that carry them just waiting for a reason to use them. They have not likely taken the safety course to heart. I ask again how do we make it safer without distroying our hopes of self defense, especially if we get some crazy president bent on domination and power, or the unlikely Red Dawn scenario both old and new. ALSO have we forgotten 9-11-2001? One of the largest massacres on our soil and not one firearm was used. it is strange that one of the biggest changes to security after 9-11 was armed air marshals were required in every airplane. Not one person suggested anything about box knife safety courses or a new box knife law. But on the interrest of avoiding the whole war of words that has errupted, maybe each state should require some sort of safety class before one can purchase fire arms. But someway we should make each person using a gun feel the pain of getting shot wthout getting injured. I don't know how this could be done of course.

Everyone Has a Right to Choose Not to defend themselves and their Family members & Property But Do Not Stop Me from Defending Myself !

James, yours and Samuel's comments offer a path for the artist/film-maker to approach this subject objectively. As I see it, the gun in American culture is just that, a cultured and nurtured aspect of rural and urban life, involving individual anima/animus, depicting a heroic justice, villainous injustice or an insane rampaging rogue. The rural gun owner has a valid need for game hunting, protection in a remote enviroment and peace of mind from things that go bang and boom in the night. The urban gun owner's concern is safety for self, family and ego inflation (which is not always a bad thing). Those with the need for this machine should be required to meet specific standards and on an annual or semi -annual basis. We have car safety checks, insurance and road-side drunk driver tests for drivers. The car, like the gun can be a lethal weapon. A federal policy, paid for by gun manufactures, gun dealers and gun owners, spread out to ameliorate perspectives and costs would be fair to all. I also think ammunition should be traceable to the ammunition manufacturers and in the event of a massacre they should pay all costs and long term medical and psychological costs. We can more easily control specific types of ammunition than guns. We regulate vehicles, hence the proliferation of trail lawyers and medical/legal TV series (being facetious). The root of the gun problem is the glorification by media (of all kinds) of the power the gun affords powerless individuals and the manipulation of that image of self by the gun industry. The gun industry plays both sides of the fence, supporting the valid gun owner, but also supporting and encouraging the hormone-driven dysfunctions of young men deprived of healthy social integration (remedied by mental health initiatives, although this is a band-aid solution using drugs and studies that are sometimes useless circular academic arguments). The archetypical hero (in the Jungian sense) is, I think, an aspect of our genome's instinctual and a hunting group's dynamic make-up. A male heroic figure ( and sometimes female) always seems to emerge in any group with a quest or purpose and I believe the group's survival is programmed deep in the genomes of all social mammals. (Hence, Hercules, Shrek, Mighty-Mouse, Superman and then there is the rogue hero, Kurtz). The frustrated potential hero or villein is a very complex character in fiction. The easy way to resolve a conflict in fiction is to shoot or blindly power your way out of an untenable situation. That Wild West mentality in American cinema appeals to the young and numb world wide , however, I believe a higher standard must be set by artists (and all media makers) to differentiate the rural and urban hero/protector from the gun toting bravado of the ego distorted, gun-phallic fetishist that the predator gun-cultured culture promotes and then provides glorified examples of for the dysfunctional mind to assimilate. The astute artist might explore the antithesis of the young frustrated heroic male 's striving for manhood by showing him for what he fears and has become in a the story arc of standard fiction devices (homophobic, or closeted homosexual, alienated from an over-bearing or non-existent father, an overly protective mother, incest, profound guilt complexes or hormone imbalances, etc). Instead of resorting to violent ends of others, the character is offered a choice and a method to escape all demons (i.e., the denouncement). This moment of choice is where the writer/film-maker must shine. That moment is the place all artist work towards. I ramble... and I've just described the plot basic resolutions of so many fictions. But gun control discussion is valid since that gun barrel of aggression may target any of us or a loved-one someday soon. Let's keep at it! -m a x

All Statistics Prove you are 8 times more likely to be killed or injured if you have a gun and you are assaulted or robbed. COWARDS CARRY GUNS. Media reflects Culture. Cigarettes would still be advertised if there had not been a social movement to stop it. We now have Infomercials with no restrictions on Gun Advertising and I am sure that will change.

Wow John. Are you saying then that the founding fathers are cowards then? Cause I can assure you they all believed most fervently in the 2nd Amendment. Have you considered that the only way the federal govt could confiscate guns is to rapidly expand its centralization of power around itself? Thus making itself more powerful and you the citizen less powerful. Statistics also show that the vast majority of veterans of our armed forces are gun owners. Are they cowards John? Also, think of this. How expensive has it been to insure 30 million Americans like myself who have little or no health insurance? 1.7 trillion. And so I ask you, how expensive would it be for the govt to disarm 120 million gun owners in the United States? That's assuming they give up their arms willingly. Take the gun owners in Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin, all fairly progressive states, and you would have the third largest standing army in the world at around 4 million. Are you in fact saying that they have no right to defend themselves against criminals who try to break into their homes and do them harm? Think of the ratio of cops to citizens. It's literally 1 to 1,000. And so I ask you, how can one policeman keep track of and protect 1,000 unarmed citizens at any point in time. You obviously have not thought any of this through nor do you realize what has been sacrificed so that we can have the right to bear arms. I ask you to go out and take a walk around the block and realize that what you are walking on is virgin soil that has not been violated by war in 160 years. We are the only nation other than Switzerland who can boast that amazing period of uninterrupted peace on our own shores. Yes we have our veterans to thank for that, but also b/c foreign invaders and our own govt fears the 100 million ma army of the armed citizen. Period

its too hard to accept it but if you cultural norm hurts others then you must drop it , that's human right . guns are dangerous to community and they are of no use in human society , you can use them to challenge wild Aminals but not fellow human , yes am not coming from America and i know gun abuse in Africa is quiet different from America or europe , but the ending result is damage and lose of lives , dear friends above the campaign is up to those people that abuse guns , besides we can not trust those of you who say you using them upright , i know the day you will do mass shooting your lawyer will claim your insane , besides i personally signed a petition to disarm civilians on this planet with ARMNESTY International before the last 2 most recent American massive shooting , i don't need to g o politics but , i don't think the world will have civilian guns in next few years . I wish you a happy new year all of you above .

like i said Taser gun(those close-quarter ones and the ones that shoot barbs) you instantly stop the assailant and you don't have a chance of killing them (depending on voltage) and have blood on your hands. anyway I'm getting a man-flu so obviously this should be more of a priority.

Wait a sec there are commercials for guns? When did I miss that? I was also wondering how long this would take to go from answers to a question to a contest of opinions and war of words. Thanks to all who unwittingly participated and please feel free to continue, the more that talk the more we all learn something. :)

Hey Leon. Can I ask why you are so concerned about not killing someone who is trying to kill you? Why is it the assailant has more of a human standing than the victim in your logic? I'm sorry bro but I prefer to live in a world where the criminal is dead and the victim is alive. Perhaps that's something you should think about. And Julian, I respect the many hardships you and those you love have endured in Africa. I have many friends and family over there who suffer under the same circumstances. But the reason why they suffer is because of corrupt governments and evil guerrila groups who have great power to prey upon their fellow people b/c they have no means of defending themselves. Africa is a perfect example as to what exactly happens when you disarm a populace. Only the criminals and government officials have weapons. And what kind of society does that create?

Beautifully said Wayne!

im just thinking about the jail term that might be served afterwards, its a question of who shoots first at the end of the day. taser or gun >___> - Africa maybe, but maybe the army of the U.k or U.s should stop looking at benefits of oil or other natural resources and actually do something good for mankind and go to africa to sort it out. obviously what you may have not realised is that if you give the 'normal' people guns, whos to say they wont be turned into another guerilla group? it just takes one to say ''hey i got a gun, i can use this to get my own way and make my life better''

maybe they should just increase the age limit, like to age:25+ only and sell only single shooters that can be quickly reloaded but for defensive purposes...mmmm

So it's the U.K.'s and U.S. fault that Arican countries can't control their ow govts? Geez dude how about this? Before we went over there, there was no railroads, no medicine, no electricity, no running water. We gave them all that and what have we profited from it? They have a higher standard of living than they've ever had in their entire history as a continent and what have they chosen to do with all that? Well, to a great extent, they've established despotic and tyrannical govts that oppress them. That's their fault not ours. Capitalism works when you have a free people to sell and buy from, and when the people are not free to buy and sell as they choose, the economic system collapses. B/c in order for the govt to increase, it has to decrease and squeeze out the private sector. Which is exactly what govts in Africa have done to a great extent. LAW Abiding Citizens starting militia groups huh? Well it hasn't happened in the 225 years that we've been a nation bro so don't think history will agree with that statement. You know how guerilla groups start? They acquire arms illegally and use them to oppress people they know can't protect themselves. And it all starts with an unarmed, government dependent populace. Read history sometime bro you might benefit from it

yeah HISTORY. people had a fucking different mindset back then than now! things have changed, minds have changed. i didnt say it was it was our fault FACEPALM it was a fucking suggestion! not a accusation FOR FUCK SAKE!

Thank you - james-holzrichter-dragon-s-wave-studio You have set in motion a deterministic set of variables (see Conway's Game of Life, lol) that resolves only after implementation. All formulations of mind can exist only in the abstract where fear will prevail until the light of reason and the results of reasoning are set in motions (i.e., the Bat signal). These opinions and war of words are no different than when we sat around the fire in a cave when we were emerging homo sapiens or Neanderthals. Every voice should be heard as we determine how to protect the cave from the sabre-toothed tiger (gun industry and neocons) who waits at the mouth of the cave for opportunistic moments to snatch the most vulnerable of the clan of cave men, women and children so they can eat them, prosper and procreate their kind (metaphor here). Young men of the clan must enrage in bravado and coming of age quests to announce and proclaim in feast and feats of daring-do against all threats, real or imagined, to stimulate the young females to begin the process of procreation physically and mentally and spiritually. For what else are we really protecting with guns but that vital female process that assures continuation of our species? And the question then must be asked, are ovulating females the driving force, behind aggressive driving forces and violence of mind of all mankind. The complexity of the fight or fight nervous system ( it is its own nervous system within us) will win out when the chips are down, after fear causes one to shit their pants and no options remain. To flee allows the clan to survive another day, to fight ( America's heady jingoistic military-industrial fetish and deception approach) or to fight pits the young warrior against abstractions real, imagined or purposefully created to further evil and evil's agendas (Lord of the Rings and Paradise Lost, eh?). The hero emerges only if the fight is just. This problem is age old and all artist should investigate it in the pulp-fiction plays of Sophocles and Shakespeare, and the incredible epic poems or Milton and Goethe... just to get a proven historical perspective and not the facebook/twitter perspective. Determining who is, or what is evil, relating to guns/weapons, is in many ways a stability-instability paradox, as the millions of guns that can thwart a mythical or real invasion can also be used to enslave those deemed less than human by an armed minority. The artist/film-maker must tread the fine line of morality and the highest possible concepts of social stability carefully and brilliantly, as Milton did when he exposed Mammon's desire to corrupt Eve and mankind's greed. That fucking snake and that apple... Pay your dues writers, film-makers and thinkers then give 'em hell! Keep the discussion rolling! - m a x

when in the fucking paragraph does it say ''U.K.'s and U.S. fault '' in the paragraph? i said it should be sorted out. (that a suggestion and a opinion) which i will have you find i am entitled to folds arms

''maybe the army of the U.k or U.s should stop looking at benefits of oil or other natural resources and actually do something good for mankind and go to africa to sort it out''........i dont see anywhere saying i was pointing the finger and blaming anyone........seems like a suggestion and a opinion to me

Hey Leon. Guess I did come on a little hard there. However, I missed the part where Africa and its despotic govts are my problem and should be solved with our resources, our manpower and our tax dollars. If they want our help and are willing to take the responsibility themselves, fine. But to my knowledge that has yet to happen over there. We've given them over 100 billion collectively and what has that amounted to. More tyranny, more genocide, more suffering.

And Leon. People are going to disagree with you and call you out on stuff all the time. Happens to me constantly. It's the best (and worst) part of living in a free society. Try not to take it too personally dude. I'm not trying to facepalm you bro. Just debating. Okay?

Aloha Wayne, The written word, a.k.a, the pen, is mightier than the sword! With the scale tipping towards 8 billion people we need words now more than ever. To mix metaphors, your words may be the straw that breaks the overworked and armoured camel's back of the gun industry's un-swayable back and greed.

Well Max you've obviously read a lot of my favorite authors and appreciate many of the world's great writers, but I don't think you've been able harness this into any kind of cohesive worldview. As my philosophy prof once said, the modern scholar knows a lot about a little but not much of anything. So great that you read, I wish that more people would, but it doesn't really amount to anything concrete and leaves the reader wondering just what exactly is your stance on gun control. What does Darwin's theory really have to do with that? So I'll ask you a question. Who controls in a world of gun control? Is it the citizen who has now been stripped of his right to defend his gift of life, or the state who now is the sole owner of Power's Trigger?

no worries griffith, i was just expressing and opinion. i know both usa and u.k have done things we should be proud of

an*

shouldnt*

Living in a so-called free society must be questioned thoroughly when 20 innocent children are slaughtered so violently. Home schooling is not the answer ( again being facetious). Concerning Africa and underdeveloped nations... one needs to read and really understand the nexus between colonialism, capitalism, population enslavement that is so well depicted in Conrad's Heart of Darkness and by proxy in Apocalypse Now. Money provided to prevent tyrannical dictatorships acts as a mechanism and example to stop the entire world from falling to the Dark Force (Star Wars and just about everything humanist writers espouse). King Leopold of Belgium would be on the list of Forbes 100 most richest men if he were alive today as the gun allow him to exterminate millions , to enslave them and to extract ivory and rubber. His exploits are the reason Africa deteriorated from tribal affluence and well-being to destitution and want. Yes, a historical perspective is needed to understand today's dynamic world. - m å x

Hey Wayne. The world hates us b/c we are the freest most prosperous nation on earth. It's not b/c of oil, or islam, or our support of Israel. It's b/c we have the most sophisticated and freest society on the planet and all the rest of the world can do is shut the hell up and deal with it. We could pull out of every major conflict (and really we should b/c we're broke) and they'd still find a reason to hate us. Face it bro. When you're richer, prettier, freer and can do whatever the hell you want unlike 95% of the rest of the world, they are going to despise you. It doesn't matter how nice you are, they'll just hate you all the more. The middle east is a perfect example of that. We discovered oil there not them. Our engineers, our technology and our tax dollars built their entire modern society and what have they done with that? Given us the finger and call us the white satan. And it's all b/c we gave them everything they have and they haven't given us anything back except endless and meaningless war. Period

Again Max. Love the references but you're not giving a solid perspective on the problem from either side. Plain and simple. The bastard that killed those children BROKE THE LAW!!! It was already illegal to carry a firearm 1000 yards from the school. You think declaring a school a gun free zone that criminals, terrorists and pedophiles, who by the way break the law all the time, are going to suddenly be nice and follow the rules? What kind of reality are you living in? You know what I would've like to see over there in Conn? A teacher, carrying a firearm, seeing this SOB trying to kill kids and just walks up to him and gives him three shots to the chest. BAM! Criminal dead and children alive. Do I need to make it any more simple for you?

Wow! I love it! Power's Trigger! What a great title! However, it might just be a remake of The Deer Hunter. Griff, your deep-south perspective is understood and appreciated. One might consider the Bible as the first novel dealing with the 'a lot about a little but not much of anything.' Meaning that the writers had an agenda based on peace and goodwill towards all men and a bit of metaphor eased the blow of reality and premature dying... which in my meandering way is to create peace and goodwill with dramatic forms. I consider peace of mind to be the first and foremost job of an artist to create and I consider you an artist. We differ in opinion, but we, I think, are trying to move in a humanist direction... using collaboration. Let us move on to the Socratic method to satisfy your old philosophy profs...lol. Best to you my friend, - m a x

Aloha again Griff, The southern gentlemen that you are in word and opinion is appreciated. Regarding my reality, the one I live in... well, I live on two acres in the Hawaiian rainforest. I have a family, a nice house, steady income and happiness. What I do not have are perceived factious minorities plotting to do me harm in great abundance. Without this threat I am able to achieve a sense of peace and tranquillity knowing that the gun is less likely to do me more damage. Of course I am not a fool, as I realise desperadoes exist everywhere. Again, my job is to see the gray mixing of the black and white of life's vast panorama and write about it. One must decide if over-reaction or paranoid reaction is worth sacrificing an accepting, but cautious and freer state of mind. Of course, I could over react and surreptitiously own a weapon, thinking that the sky is always falling, but then I would have a whole new set of problems, deceptions and neurosis. Clearly a hostile or tranquil enviroment determines world-view, however, as a united set of states of possible mind and bound states by law, the over-all health and welfare of all members trumps the view that the sky is indeed falling. With rational civic planning and a view that all men are created equal, a new paradigm might (might) be reached that allows a greater number of people the state of mind and place I've obtained. I count my blessing everyday as I swim in my wonderful swimming pool and look over to Ram Dass's and W.S. Merwin's residence knowing the world can be a better place if the right words get to the right people. Best to you my friend - m å x.

120 miles as the cormorant bird flies.

Max, I love reading your comments. This seems to be hitting quite a nerve on both sides of the argument, and even the ones in the middle. And even though I'm not in Hawaii I know how you feel about peace of mind. It's just a bit colder in the Winter here. :) (I'm still working on the steady income part of it all though lol) leon I can understand completely why you chose a taser, and I should have put that up there as a choice, now that I think about it. Not wanting to end a life is a noble thing to strive for even when defending your own life. Finding reasons why someone should die seems like some peoples lot in life, or hobby, sickening as that is. Some people are even so paranoid that they sit in their house aiming a gun or weapon at their door just waiting for someone to break in so they can shoot them. What kind of life is that? Here is another scenario everyone can chew on. This one is a true story, but i will leave names out. Quite a few years ago an aerospace defense company was lobbying for a government contract. The problem was very simple. The people running the company wanted a payday. So the quote that they gave the government was greatly inflated. They won the contract. This seems to be over right? Not yet. There were quite a few people in the company that found out but did NOT go along with it, they thought it was wrong to do such a thing. Who knew in this day and age some people still think that way. They got together and decided to blow the whistle on the company. Long story short, there is one person left alive out of all the whistle blowers. This person had to live under constant watch by the F.B.I. They were parked in his driveway for over ten years. Finally and I do mean finally the case was in court and he won a VERY substantial amount of money from this company, and more importantly won his freedom from death where so many of his coworkers and friends did not. This story did not make much of a ripple in the news, I don't even think it made a single headline over the years. Now this man has grown children my age, who have children of their own, and has started a foundation for protection of whistleblowers. He has found peace after decades of suffering. If it was you what would you do? (note I did not give any suggestive answers this time. write on!!

I wasn't going to go down the road of unanswered questions but it does seem to be at the heart of it all. Some things don't add up about a lot of bad things that have happened. There are quite a few unanswered questions about a lot of mass killings, even 9-11-01 has a LOT of unanswered questions. The Brady Bill was after assault rifles/guns but the weapon that was involved in that was a .22 calabur revolver. Not even close to an, "assault" weapon. It is clear that the government is just looking for a reason strong enough to make people NOT pipe up about additional laws. But then again so are a lot of people in this country, as well as a lot of people standing against additional laws. The thing is I would believe that some people would kill others to make new that a law should be added. It is for that reason alone that I am against adding a new law taking anything away from the people. There is an increasing amount of people that think 9-11 was to save BILLIONS of dollars in cleanin asbestos out of the building. I don't know if it's true but I would believe that people are capable of such acts without even a hesitation as to weather they should or not, only worrying about how not to get caught. How many lives would you snuff out for 14 BILLION dollars? I wouldn't myself, it's just a question for thought.

No one's mind will be changed because of this post. The only thing that will happen is that people will take sides and refuse to work with each other because they are pissed. This isn't a productive conversation amongst a group of strangers that hope to work together in the future. This is a good way to get black balled.

I disagree wayne. We need to discuss these things as that's what our founding fathers intended when they said a govt BY THE PEOPLE & FOR THE PEOPLE. This is a constitutional republic and we need to exercise that right b/c so many veterans have sacrificed their lives for it. And honestly, if someone is narrow minded enough not to work with me then I really have no business working with that person anyway. I mean c'mon, they don't call it the tolerant left for nothing right?

Ah, but the pitch... Well, mister producer, I'll make it simple: The world wakes up one fine, sunny morning and all the world's weapons and ammunitions are gone along with the abilities of gunsmiths and nuclear physicists to create the really big weapons and all small weapons and all weapons simply and mysteriously disappear from the face of the earth. Rocket propulsion fails, as do high frequency sound or light weapons. It is as if some mysterious and unknown force has unplugged the aggressor/defender matrix and all harmful projectiles/ forces directed towards other humans are stopped in their tracks. However, stick, stones, fists, the bow and arrow remain as do thrown projectiles which now take up the slack when the shit hits the fan as the intelligent interacts with the dumbfounded or just plain dumb. Our hero must now discover a new world and experience the altered realities of the people who try and successfully adapt to this change. Will the world revert back to primate grunts and growls as depicted in Quest for Fire? Or become a multi-tier society where other groups are collaborative and able to form long lasting, peaceful interactions for the good of all? Our hero has a spouse (straight or gay), a child or two and a nuclear family unit of aunts-uncles, grand parents, etc. He is a reluctant church goer and has a degree in microbiology... his only weapon is a knack for conversation and humour. This is not an end of the world scenario, but a beginning of the world scenario. Ha! What factions would form in the aftermath or this Godly gun snatch? Of course gangs would form as we are social creatures, but no one would have an unfair advantage, except for the number of individuals in allegiance to the group who yield bigger sticks and heavier stones. As in nature, the young male would need to be given quests to understand the relationship of his raging biological urges and his group success... Will his raging hormones and ambitions be redirected by cunning deception by the evil and greedy Flintstone Mob to disturb the balance between Barney and the taming of the earth for the benefit of all? Oh, the possibilities are endless film makers. Run with it and have fun! I pitch the obverse side of the coin, of course there is the reverse side of the coin where everyone on earth suddenly has an Ak-47, including children, along with magic ammunition that never runs out (perhaps we already have that in those African countries where boys are beaten into warriors and given drugs and Viagra to prepare them for their captain's buggery and maybe those 72 male virgins after death. Oh what hath the cheaply manufactured Ak-47 wrought my friends? Thesis + antithesis = synthesis!!!! GO writers GO! This is my last post on this fine debate over an important matter that will effect the art community and the world until the end of time. Thanks James Holzrichter (BTW- I played music professionally for 25 years as a solo classical guitarist). I've let my two weimaraners and my terrier loose on the property and I will sleep soundly tonight. Best to all - - m a x

@Wayne -James started it :P hahaha

i think I just got thrown under the bus. lol

haha only joking mate ;)

Good Guys With Guns Lament by måx keanu Sticks and stones Protecting homes? Swatting, armed gnomes Roam far afield Stalk phantom Black-hatted scum Dastardly caped Scoundrels of Wicked laugh Sly smiles... Those Bastard bad guys Of big guns, so snide Posse of white hats Covered in stealth In steely pursuit Of villain until They bleed red Vicious blood flows Gunshot holes Ending life Onto the afterlife Year after year BUT! Remember Tots fallen, buried... Remember those Tiny White coffins... Cremation's embers... Hero's shot, desperate Pain of recovery Months of life Stolen forever Deathbed escape Riddled by fate A bedbound hero Of gun-gods brio Deprives a son, daughter Of football friend, full father Of white hat covers A decent man, a life lover Wife of disabled Denied penetration Of love's ardour Receives disability Payments galore Heroic deemed ride Proud parade yearly Wheelchair waving White-hatted family... Hers is a gun-snatched Life in hell's constant hover Her decent man, her life's lover....

Beautifully written Max.

shanedean.com

Cowards Carry Guns. For all of you "We must Protect ourselves from the Federal Government with the 2nd amendment and Guns- type of people." I will remind you that THERE ARE GUN LAWS IN EVERY STATE AND CITY IN THE USA.! You cannot own rocket launders or missiles! There is No Argument you can make that you are safer with a gun! NONE. All the Statistics prove that. Do you have the "Right" to own one in the USA, yes of course, but do WE THE CITIZENS also have right to know where that gun is, and if it is legally registered or sold on the black market, YES WE DO. http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17922-carrying-a-gun-increases-ris...

shanedean.com

its quiet non believeble that people from civilized nation like united states of America can not trust their government when it comes to protecting their lives , tell me if you don't possess a gun in names of protecting your self ? don't you have laws or security angencies that enforce laws in your state ? here in Africa every one refers to USA as a better place to be when it comes to human right and social develpment , but am beging ing to question my mind , does USA has another image behind the world potrayed image in public camera ? , if not , then what is making you guys scared of living with out your guns ? .

shanedean.com you can trust

You keep alluding to these so called "Statistics" John and have yet to provide one. As for your "cowards carry guns" comment. John, what this tells me is that you will not tolerate being disagreed with regardless of what the issue is. I don't think you're a coward for disagreeing with me, just misinformed and if I may be frank, somewhat disturbed. People are going to disagree with you bub. That's the double edged sword of living in a free society. But let me also say this. Of the 120 million Americans who own guns, 80% are either veterans or currently serving in our nation's military. These people are putting their lives on the line, in some cases making the ultimate sacrifice, so you can have the freedom to call the rest who disagree with you "cowards." And why do you think they own guns John? B/c they've seen first hand what govts in other countries do to people who can't defend themselves. The veteran fights for the freedoms we enjoy, but most importantly, the right to keep and bear arms as our Founding Fathers did against the British Occupation in 1776. As far as your "missile" comment John let me also say this. Are you aware that since 1974 our military is a volunteer military? Which means we the people decide when, how and if we will serve in the military. So in that particular sense we do have the right to own missiles, tanks and every other means of defending our country b/c we serve through voluntary consent. No dictator forces us to serve, we do it willingly and I might add pay for it with our tax dollars. The govt works for us, not the other way around, and only you, my friend can prevent it from becoming too corrupt and despotic. I'm glad that you feel passionately about the issue John, and voice your opinion freely and with great ferver. However, do give the rest of us the right to disagree and debate that stance without calling us names and demonizing our point of view. That is, after all, how and why the Constitution came about in the first place.

Never forget this country was taken by the will of the people 235 years ago or so. It may have to be taken again by the will of the people. "I fear the gov. that fears my gun."

Is this really appropriate here? Not in my opinion. And no, I don't want to engage in further discussion. You wouldn't like my opinions. **Gandalf to Frodo re: Gollum... "Does he deserve to die? Perhaps. And many that die deserve to live. Can you give it to them?"

Robin now that you mention it, you are right. I'm here to act!

As far as not being a part of film. This is such a passionate topic everywhere you go, you would be unwise to NOT take up the topic in film or theatre. I am sure there is a gold mine with this topic somewhere here. One can even take this topic and not take a side with the screen play or play if one is creative enough. Some one make this a money maker and hopefully include some of my music,...please?.. lol :)

haha, got the eye on the prize there james rofl :P

http://americansforresponsiblesolutions.org/ Two years ago today a phone call from a local videographer about a rush project prevented my partner and myself from heading to Safeway just before ten in the morning... the Safeway where Gabrielle Giffords was shot along with many others, of whom six perished. This event and many other incidents I have experienced involving guns make this very personal to me. Above is the link to a site/movement regarding guns that she and her husband just launched. Perhaps that is a place to share views on the matter.

Gun rights are a non-negotiable. Governments murdered 290 million innocent unarmed people in the 20th century. End of discussion.