Bowling for Columbine - Page 2 - ZEFRANK.COM

lapietra · 11-08-2002, 05:53 AM

AAAAAAAAA!

I *said*, YOU CAN'T! That's *my* answer to your question. You never will, any more than, as I alluded to in one of those posts, you'll get rid of drugs. People will always want to get high (I know I do), and people will always be able to make or find weapons.
I don't believe we should get rid of guns, or anything else for that matter. I think we should strike at the root of the problem - which is that our culture gives people so many reasons to be disgruntled, and unhappy, and dissatisfied and so few ways to alleviate those feelings - so many quick-fix promises; a golden carrot dream that for some is just a boring old turnip. Or worse, a big spikey stick.
When I talk about empowerment, what I mean is, to empower people to make themselves happy and satisfied, and not need to make others scapegoats for their anger and dissatisfaction. And it's not just guns we have to worry about.
I'm so sorry - I really want to say more about this - but it's 1 a.m. and my brain wants to go to sleep... I know we're on the same team here... violence bad, right?

Miss Malevolent · 11-08-2002, 02:12 PM

Well, I think I've been verbose enough in this thread, so I'm going to make this my last comment as well.

Personally, I don't think you'll get rid of the guns in this country, ever and I don't see anything wrong with that.

I don't live in the best of neighborhoods, and yes we have a shotgun for those that would come in our house. Three women in the house, myself, my mother and my niece. The shot gun is locked away in a case so that there isn't an accident. And quite frankly, the familiar *click click* should send any potential robber or rapist fleeing.

I'm no card caring member of the NRA. I don't care about their politics. I'm not being fed some paranoid claptrap. I know what I see. I see a drug dealer that I grew up with dealing from his house on the corner. I see the neighborhood thief and crackhead that my mom grew up with who lives right across the street. And I see various other undesirables that know to stay away from our house.

I'm not interested in having an AK-47 in my home. Nor anything fancier than a shotgun or handgun for self defense.

And let me stop the person with the easy answer of, "Well, you should move to a better neighborhood". Some people do not have the means to move to a better neighborhood. And my neighborhood wasn't always this shady. And let's be honest, even the best neighborhoods have the worst scenarios of crime from time to time.

How do we make everyone happy and satisfied in this country? We can't. More money/stuff, more problems. And as was stated earlier, we're a country of consumers. The more we have the more we want. So we will always be unsatisfied.

I simply believe like all great empires (Rome, England, hell even France), this one will self implode before we become some mecca of spiritual enlightenment and understanding.

lapietra · 11-08-2002, 05:34 PM

I agree that more money & stuff won't make people more happy... I think we should try to work a culture where money & stuff *doesn't* masquerade as the solution to happiness. That is what I meant by empowering people to create their own happiness and satisfaction.
I also agree with masterofnone - we *should* continue to dream of a day when people will give up their guns - but it would be more realistic to give them reasons not to choose to use them.

11-08-2002, 05:53 AM	#16
lapietra half baked Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: just ducky Posts: 12,078	AAAAAAAAA! I said, YOU CAN'T! That's my answer to your question. You never will, any more than, as I alluded to in one of those posts, you'll get rid of drugs. People will always want to get high (I know I do), and people will always be able to make or find weapons. I don't believe we should get rid of guns, or anything else for that matter. I think we should strike at the root of the problem - which is that our culture gives people so many reasons to be disgruntled, and unhappy, and dissatisfied and so few ways to alleviate those feelings - so many quick-fix promises; a golden carrot dream that for some is just a boring old turnip. Or worse, a big spikey stick. When I talk about empowerment, what I mean is, to empower people to make themselves happy and satisfied, and not need to make others scapegoats for their anger and dissatisfaction. And it's not just guns we have to worry about. I'm so sorry - I really want to say more about this - but it's 1 a.m. and my brain wants to go to sleep... I know we're on the same team here... violence bad, right? __________________ “As long as the world is turning and spinning, we're gonna be dizzy and we're gonna make mistakes.” ~ Mel Brooks

11-08-2002, 05:34 PM	#18
lapietra half baked Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: just ducky Posts: 12,078	I agree that more money & stuff won't make people more happy... I think we should try to work a culture where money & stuff doesn't masquerade as the solution to happiness. That is what I meant by empowering people to create their own happiness and satisfaction. I also agree with masterofnone - we should continue to dream of a day when people will give up their guns - but it would be more realistic to give them reasons not to choose to use them. __________________ “As long as the world is turning and spinning, we're gonna be dizzy and we're gonna make mistakes.” ~ Mel Brooks

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes	Rate This Thread
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode	Rate This Thread:

11-08-2002, 02:12 PM	#17
Miss Malevolent Bitch³ Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Hell Posts: 155	Well, I think I've been verbose enough in this thread, so I'm going to make this my last comment as well. Personally, I don't think you'll get rid of the guns in this country, ever and I don't see anything wrong with that. I don't live in the best of neighborhoods, and yes we have a shotgun for those that would come in our house. Three women in the house, myself, my mother and my niece. The shot gun is locked away in a case so that there isn't an accident. And quite frankly, the familiar click click should send any potential robber or rapist fleeing. I'm no card caring member of the NRA. I don't care about their politics. I'm not being fed some paranoid claptrap. I know what I see. I see a drug dealer that I grew up with dealing from his house on the corner. I see the neighborhood thief and crackhead that my mom grew up with who lives right across the street. And I see various other undesirables that know to stay away from our house. I'm not interested in having an AK-47 in my home. Nor anything fancier than a shotgun or handgun for self defense. And let me stop the person with the easy answer of, "Well, you should move to a better neighborhood". Some people do not have the means to move to a better neighborhood. And my neighborhood wasn't always this shady. And let's be honest, even the best neighborhoods have the worst scenarios of crime from time to time. How do we make everyone happy and satisfied in this country? We can't. More money/stuff, more problems. And as was stated earlier, we're a country of consumers. The more we have the more we want. So we will always be unsatisfied. I simply believe like all great empires (Rome, England, hell even France), this one will self implode before we become some mecca of spiritual enlightenment and understanding.