Ahhhhh, I love a vigorous debate–but without all the fallacies. Admittedly, prisoners (which includes me) are appropriately subject to different rules and policies. And there are many wrinkles to iron out in separating the wheat from the chaff in terms of gun owners. But advancing slippery slope fallacies does nothing to exact improvements to the status quo. Instead, they stall progress and resultantly perpetuate the problem.
Though circumstances (privilege vs. right, prisoner vs law-abiding, etc.) may differ, my concept still applies by analogy. For one, UA, strip search, airport scanner, and breathalyzer tests are administered to detect that which is undetectable otherwise. In matters of imminent (and potential) crises, the focus of preventative measures is on detection, regardless of circumstance. I’d love to hear better ideas than mine on detecting the sinister contents of one’s mind. I anticipated this counterargument.
Two, the 2nd Amendment is a right “only” in theory–not in practice. If it was truly a right, then how could one lose it. Prior to becoming a felon, I too was was a registered gun owner. I lost that “privilege” and am fine with that. I anticipated this counterargument as well.
Three, it is a classic “Ad Hominem” fallacy (an appeal to emotional bias) to attack me instead of my argument, so as to suggest that my criminal status somehow disqualifies me from making an argument. With all due respect, last I checked, my right to free speech wasn’t abrogated by my imprisonment. Let’s try to keep it above the belt. Also anticipated.
Four, it is a classic “Snob Approach” (a subset of “Argumentum as Populum”) fallacy to suggest prisoners are second class citizens compared to law-abiding citizens. I’ve met countless prisoners who have matured to possess the integrity of 10 free persons. I’ve also found the reverse to be true. Also anticipated.
And five, arguing “taxation of a right” sidesteps the nature of my proposal. I get it: if you change the subject or divert the argument from the merits of the real question at issue to some side-point, you win. However, the tactic you’ve employed is deemed a “Red Herring” fallacy. I’m discussing preventing violence to youth and adult innocents, not taxes. Unanticipated, but easily dismantled nonetheless.
All things considered, my goal is not to diminish the rights of responsible gun owners. In fact, I applaud them. I also respect their 2nd Amendment privilege. As a parent of a son who was a victim of random gun violence, I deeply hope that people will learn to stop drawing a hard line in the sand and come together in the interests of the families and victims of gun violence.
Since when did a gun right take precedence over the right to human life? When, and if, you can answer that question with a moral and equitable answer, I’ll humbly concede.
Throw all your darts at me, but please keep “their” bullets away from my son
Jacob Gamet
DOC #883302
Rise up and fight Lord, glorious in righteousness,
Drive out all the darkness, Thy light to overcome;
Bring an end to evil, Thy goodness Lord express,
Overcome the enemy, make Thy kingdom come.
Thou art the Warrior, the great and awesome God,
Righteousness and peace are, going to win this war.
Rise up and make Lord, in Thy day of power,
Strong and mighty people, in Thy church we pray;
Make us strong in faith Lord, in this doubting hour,
Holding fast Thy promises, given to us each day.
You are the Warrior….etc
Rise up and bless Lord, rich in faithfulness,
Arm us with Thy gifts Lord, for the fight ahead;
Make us strong and faithful, bold and fear–less,
Preaching Jesus’ love and raising up the dead.
You are the Warrior…..etc
Rise and anoint Lord, give Thy servants grace,
Melt our hearts with gladness, fill us with Thy love;
Take away our sin Lord, turn us Thy to face,
Make us pure and holy, come O heavenly Dove.
You are the Warrior……etc
(© James R Hamilton – Written 7th, August, 2003
In response to your question: “Since when did a gun right take precedence over the right to human life?” – I think you let your emotions get the best of you (and I don’t wish to devalue your emotional investment in this, given the background you divulged). I don’t see how gun rights ever took precedence over right to life. I think by stating that question, you were indirectly employing emotional appeal by building up a strawman suggesting that to protect 2nd amendment rights is to weaken right to life. That being said, I really enjoyed most of your post. It was thought provoking and rationally sound, other than your final question. Instead of directly offering a counter argument, I’ll ask:
What if our right to life was ultimately dependent upon our 2nd amendment right?
Is it possible that the security of all the things we call rights is ultimately dependent on our 2nd amendment right?
Is this necessarily NOT true? If you cannot definitively and completely confidently say that this is not true, is it worth the risk to abandon our 2nd amendment right?
Jacob, you have presented and delivered again, an excellent post. I love your writing, and I accept the emotional attachment you’ve added…even if it doesn’t belong in an argument.
That said, I had a chance to go to South Africa in 1985. The first thing I noticed was that everybody had a gun on their hips. Let me clarify that, every white person. Shockingly I found, that blacks (in their own country) had to have a green traveling card. However, I bring this up because there was no crime. Zero! Why would you attempt to rob somebody if they could whip out a gun, and blow you away?
What I really want to address is the title…Youth. Where is the line drawn as to when a child becomes an adult?
For the military it is at 18 years of age, yet you and I obviously see them still as children. Even though thousands of them are killed in war every year.
During the 80’s I also possessed a gun carry permit, based on the conditions that we handled money (cash) in excess of ten thousand dollars. And if it were true, that someone could look into the mind of an abuser of life, we could (as in Minority Report) remove them from society before the act was committed. But we can’t.
Therefore I still stand with the 2nd Amendment, as it is my right to protect that which I feel sovereign to. My life and my families. My neighborhood and my country.
The Street Preacher had added words instead of bullets, but he still discusses battles and wars.
That is not what Christ taught. Until we reach that level of enlightenment that no animosities exist within our minds and hearts, we are condemned to being lost children. And I feel that lost children have to fight for, and steal everything they get.
I would like to support your desire to keep guns out of the hands of children, but even my family, a family that grew up on the farm in Nebraska would avow, if we didn’t go out and shoot our food, we didn’t have anything to eat.
It is true that hot lead does damage, but it is the finger that pulled that trigger which is at fault, when it comes to human life.
As always, God Bless you and keep you. Until next time…hold your banner high.