No, not rhetorical at all. I AM interested in the way

by Paul , Sunday, February 17, 2013, 13:12 (4243 days ago) @ FOG

people think. How people come to the conclusions they come to is, to me anyway, a fascinating study. Often we read more into something than is there, or on the other hand we overlook something that to others is obvious.

You see nothing in the published list of offenses that has anything to do with guns or gun control or "the issue: Freedom". Yet one must ask, "what exactly do these things show us about freedom and the mentality of those who have instituted unreasonable laws?"

To your mind they have nothing to do with the issue, to others they DO have a lot to do with the basic matter to which we are referring - the denial of the right of an individual to possess an inanimate object.

The list of crimes is a list of actions, most of which are condemned by most civilized people. Actions done by individuals to individuals, actions resulting in harm either physical or psychological to another person. Yet the ones who have passed the law in question deem that the mere possession of an inanimate object even without causing harm to another nor yet having been proved to intend to harm another is to be punished more severely than actions that indeed cause harm to another.

You tell us that this has nothing to do with "the issue: Freedom". Some of us believe otherwise. Freedom is not about causing harm to another, it is about being free from government intrusion in one's private life when one's private actions do no harm to another person. The possession of an inanimate object causes no harm to another, therefore it is ridiculous to assign greater punishment for such a "crime" than the punishment meted out in response to actions which DO bring harm to others.

Those who enacted such a law and any who enforce such a law are deserving of ridicule. We have been told that we should "be above all that", but should we? Should we not laugh to scorn those who are afraid of mere objects? Should we not shine light on the hypocrisy of those who invent crimes where no harm is done to another?

And, in case that this may come across as argumentative, looking for a fight or any other such interpretation, that is NOT my intent. :) I asked, honestly, for your opinion and although you did not ask for mine I gave it freely. It's worth what you paid for it, I'm sure. If not, I'll be glad to issue a refund!