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It was a Mid-Size Wheel Loader, Not a Dozer.
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Thursday, July 3rd, 2008
It was a Mid-Size Wheel Loader, Not a Dozer.
I'm sure many of you heard about the terrorist incident that took place in Jerusalem yesterday, killing three and injuring numerous others. Many news outlets reported that a Caterpillar dozer was used in the attack. It was actually a Mid-Size Wheel Loader, far from a dozer, but that's not the point. It was a Cat machine. And it did kill three people. A man, that is, used it to kill three people - he made that choice.
This got me thinking about gun control. I know, I know. I don't want to spark controversy - I'm just working through my thoughts here. The killer in Jerusalem was a construction worker - trained to use the wheel loader for its intended purpose - but he chose to use it for destruction. What about guns? What purpose do they serve beyond harming or killing? You can use them for protection, but to use a gun for protection, you will still have to hurt someone else. Hunting - still killing. Guns are objects - people use them. Some people use them responsibly, others don't. I believe in the freedom of choice; that as citizens of a free nation we have the right to chose.
But what about guns? Is there anything we can do to keep people from using guns for harm? Will banning them really help? Then again, what good does it do to let people have them? I'm totally split on this issue - I don't really understand either side well enough to take a stand - but guns present a conflict of interest for human rights. You have the right to have them and to chose how to use them, but I have the right to not be shot. What happens when the rights of one human could violate the rights of another? The question is age-old and has divided this country more than once.
Ultimately, I'm proud to live in a country with the freedom of choice. However, I think this issue highlights, for me at least, the gray area. The country seems so torn right now between Red and Blue. Clearly on this issue I'm more Purple. I'm just interested to see what you all think.
It was a Mid-Size Wheel Loader, Not a Dozer.
I'm sure many of you heard about the terrorist incident that took place in Jerusalem yesterday, killing three and injuring numerous others. Many news outlets reported that a Caterpillar dozer was used in the attack. It was actually a Mid-Size Wheel Loader, far from a dozer, but that's not the point. It was a Cat machine. And it did kill three people. A man, that is, used it to kill three people - he made that choice.
This got me thinking about gun control. I know, I know. I don't want to spark controversy - I'm just working through my thoughts here. The killer in Jerusalem was a construction worker - trained to use the wheel loader for its intended purpose - but he chose to use it for destruction. What about guns? What purpose do they serve beyond harming or killing? You can use them for protection, but to use a gun for protection, you will still have to hurt someone else. Hunting - still killing. Guns are objects - people use them. Some people use them responsibly, others don't. I believe in the freedom of choice; that as citizens of a free nation we have the right to chose.
But what about guns? Is there anything we can do to keep people from using guns for harm? Will banning them really help? Then again, what good does it do to let people have them? I'm totally split on this issue - I don't really understand either side well enough to take a stand - but guns present a conflict of interest for human rights. You have the right to have them and to chose how to use them, but I have the right to not be shot. What happens when the rights of one human could violate the rights of another? The question is age-old and has divided this country more than once.
Ultimately, I'm proud to live in a country with the freedom of choice. However, I think this issue highlights, for me at least, the gray area. The country seems so torn right now between Red and Blue. Clearly on this issue I'm more Purple. I'm just interested to see what you all think.
The other point I'm trying to make is that even if all guns were removed from this planet, and I wanted to seriously injure or kill someone, there are plenty of ways to do that without guns. It's not the presence of guns that causes violence, in my opinion.
That said, there have been plenty of accidents with guns that would never have happened if the gun wasn't there in the first place. That could be said with other things though too I guess.
Geez dude, this is a tough one. Thankfully we have our trusty government in place to govern this issue and ensure happiness and peace for all.