THE DAILY TRAVESTY | Crossbows are Deadly Weapons

You've brought up an interesting issue, bc. What to do about guns? You're obviously fishing for reader responses.

Well, my personal opinion is that if people are going to hurt or kill each other, it should be done in a way so that only those who are willing to spend the time learn possess the threat. But i don't want to bring in opinion here. Just vague knowledge. Populace, correct me if I'm wrong.

Let's look at a precedent. A precedent? When has such a deadly weapon been available? Twice before have weapons with frightening potential been introduced. Crossbows and ballistas were thought to be the weapons to ends all wars. Crossbows were outlawed almost immediately after their invention by several governments as well as the Pope. The Pope also banned the ballista from civilized use. The crossbow's versatility, easily portable nature, size, efficiency and plain out killing power prompted the weapon's prohibition. Crossbows are few and far between even today, and you must have a doctor's note proclaiming back problems in order to hunt with one. The crossbow's killing power has been surpassed only twice since then; by the nuclear bomb and the gun.

It was not brought to my attention that the Million Mom March promoted removal of all guns from society. That is as subtle a threat as the consideration of making the act of leaking confidential government info a felony.

I did hear of movements to make safeties a standard on all guns and to make buying/obtaining a gun more difficult. Sounds good to me. If you want the ability to swiftly pull out a gun and shoot it, turn the safety off. Then it will be totally your responsibility what happens with it. The information on how to home-make bombs and other dangerous materials is available to anyone who wants to know. What one does with the knowledge (spreading napalm on concrete and watching it burn, making a pipe bomb and nearly getting one's head blown off by it, attempting to set off an explosion in a public building or area) is one's own responsibility. As a well-read child in elementary school, I knew of at least 6 or 7 different ways to poison someone. I didn't poison anyone, or even try out of curiosity. I knew I could, and I didn't. easy as that. Building on that, measures meant to make obtaining guns more difficult are designed to keep guns from those that would not exercise the responsibility that the power provided by guns provides. The curious, unsure, irresponsible and clueless will have more trouble. Those who are determined will still get them. But the matter of intent will be out of the way. Then, the responsibility is clearly theirs.