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From: mmt@dciem.UUCP (Martin Taylor)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: Don't restrict MY access to handguns just because
Message-ID: <1314@dciem.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 31-Dec-84 12:21:37 EST
Article-I.D.: dciem.1314
Posted: Mon Dec 31 12:21:37 1984
Date-Received: Mon, 31-Dec-84 14:48:45 EST
References:  <1305@dciem.UUCP> 
Reply-To: mmt@dciem.UUCP (Martin Taylor)
Distribution: net
Organization: D.C.I.E.M., Toronto, Canada
Lines: 40
Summary: 


>Please explain to me why 'in a Democracy' we should be against:
>
>1) Locking up criminals
>
>2) Protecting personal property with deadly force (meaning a person's
>   home, as opposed to, say, a car)
>
>                                                -JCP-

This is a question in the form of a misquote.  The original said
something like "locking up criminals and throwing away the key."

If you need explanation as to why we should be opposed to the corrected
form of (1), and to (2), your idea of democracy has little in common with
mine.  You hint at a world I wouldn't want to live in.

(1) Presupposes that a person either IS or IS NOT a criminal.
Until convicted ONCE, the person IS NOT.  Thereafter s/he IS, and
thereby loses all right to be treated as a person.

(2) The death penalty for theft was abolished long ago in most jurisdictions.
I prefer that it be imposed only after due consideration by a court
and for the most serious of crimes (actually, I prefer it not to be
imposed at all).  I do not accept that any person has the right to
condemn another to death for any reason other than personal self-protection,
and then only if it is the only way to achieve that protection.

In a democracy, arguments are handled by dsicussion, and if necessary
arbitration, not by killing the opposition.

In a democracy, people are considered to be still people, even though
they may break the rules sometimes.

Your democracy is not mine; but let's argue, not fight about it.
-- 

Martin Taylor
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