Earlier I had an interesting discussion of the gun issue with a friend, who asked me point blank (!) — “What do you need a weapon like that for?”
Meaning, in her mind, a “weapon of war.” (She was referring to AR-15 type guns and all other similar “assault” type rifles.) Never mind how many people are actually killed by such weapons, and never mind that the handgun is the criminal’s weapon of choice.
What mattered was need.
I was reminded of my dog, which happens to be a pit bull. The people who want to ban such dogs often ask similar questions: “What do you need a dog like that for?”
Many vegetarians would similarly say, “What do you need meat for”?
Well, other than the necessities of like who needs anything?
Since when is need a rationalization for banning anything?
(Why would anyone need more than, say, $10,000?)
Comments
6 responses to “Need”
answer to why do you need an assault rifle? to shoot it a lot of times stupid.
Two possible answers, one might satisfy her, considering the female problem with men’s toys. The other might make her think.
1) They are great fun for target shooting.
2) Because, if I ever really NEED one, it’s unlikely I’ll be able to get one.
I usually answer that question with something like this:
“What does NEED have to do with it? No one needs a Porsche. Come to think of it, no one needs ANY car that can drive more than 100 miles an hour. By the same token, no one NEEDS leather seats or power windows — cloth seats and window cranks work just fine. Should people only be able to buy cars that they can prove they NEED?
And cars are just one example. In today’s economy, 99% of everything the typical American does or owns has nothing to do with need; it’s just personal consumer preference. You don’t need organic carrots, or free range chicken, or more than one pair of shoes.
A society is not a free society if the only things people are allowed to do or to own are the things that they can prove they NEED. And a society that believes it has the power to restrict what someone does based on whether that person needs to do it, is an oppressive, even evil, society.”
******
This answer never works. People all believe that they need the stuff they want and that other people do not need the stuff that they think they shouldn’t have.
>What mattered was need.<
i don't judge your needs you don't judge mine.
Scott Adams of Dilbert fame had a good column on gun control the other day. Summary: We need guns to kill Muslim Democrats when they try to murder us.
Like you have to justify yourself for doing something that doesn’t violate other people’s liberty. But that’s “liberals” for you. Need is one of their gods. Need=right, to them.