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Quiet protest today!
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#1
14-06-2020
Well, there was a BLM protest in Marble Falls Texas today. There were multiple warnings in the local paper to BLM, that it had BETTER be peaceful. Well, turns out, probably 100 people or less showed up, they were very quiet, and the streets were patrolled by "Good Ole' Boys", and the Marble Falls PD, handled everything in a very, professional manner. Good job, Boys!
There were multiple people in lawn chairs under their carports, on porches, etc. Most were armed (including me, and Mrs. K), "Just in case".
The "protesters" were confined for the most part, to the park, next to my daughters house. Even at that close distance, anything they were doing, or saying, was unintelligible. They were there between 10:00, and 13:00, and then they all left. No problems. Quick, and quiet.
Thank You Jesus, that no one had to shoot anyone.
There were multiple people in lawn chairs under their carports, on porches, etc. Most were armed (including me, and Mrs. K), "Just in case".
The "protesters" were confined for the most part, to the park, next to my daughters house. Even at that close distance, anything they were doing, or saying, was unintelligible. They were there between 10:00, and 13:00, and then they all left. No problems. Quick, and quiet.
Thank You Jesus, that no one had to shoot anyone.
Kunder, proud to be a member of LeeFish since Feb 2016.
#2
14-06-2020
Sorry my friend, but I must take offence to your words here. Just the *assumption* that y'all would NEED arms is an insult to the human race!
All that the black people want, is to be treated with the same respect as others. Using weapons, or forcing others to use weapons, is not a form of respect. And if their demonstration would require anyone to use weapons, that would not demonstrate the kind of respect that they are after. They know that, and the white people who support them, know that. They're much smarter than you seem to give them credit for. All the white folks who do not get that, are actually the problem. You still treat our black brethren as a different breed!
All that the black people want, is to be treated with the same respect as others. Using weapons, or forcing others to use weapons, is not a form of respect. And if their demonstration would require anyone to use weapons, that would not demonstrate the kind of respect that they are after. They know that, and the white people who support them, know that. They're much smarter than you seem to give them credit for. All the white folks who do not get that, are actually the problem. You still treat our black brethren as a different breed!
#3
14-06-2020
@BoilingOil
No one forced anyone to bear a weapon. It was all voluntary. It is ALSO respectful, NOT to tear up someones property, or NOT to harm someone that had NOTHING to do with what shamefully happened. I'm sorry my friend, and I DO consider you a friend, your words ring hollow on this. Simply, you are not here.
You are certainly entitled to your opinion, and I respect you for that, BUT, you're in Europe, not Texas. We simply didn't want them tearing up our town, like they have other places, and they have DESTROYED other places. We were NOT going to allow it here. I don't care what color you are, or what you wish to express, you're entitled to it, as an American. When you start tearing up other peoples stuff, start assaulting people,THAT'S a problem. Some of those people sitting under their carport armed WERE black. THEY didn't want them tearing the place up either. I know most of these people, and some are my friends.
Despite what you're told over there, most places in this country, particularly in rural communities, Blacks, and Whites, get along just fine. We visit each other, we help each other, we fish, hunt, watch each others homes, and BBQ together. Here, you are not black, or white.... You're simply a Texan, and regardless of your color, we all treat each other with kindness, respect, and courtesy. We babysit each others kids, and grand kids. Hispanic, black, white.... All the same to us. We all get along here where I'm at, and NONE of us, will tolerate someone from the outside, tearing up our community, and harming us. Period.
OUR motto, here in Marble Falls, is EVERYONE'S life matters!
At least until recently, Europe has been pretty homogeneous. We are not. Sometimes, that makes getting along, a challenge.
You CAN NOT judge us by L.A., California, European, or New York standards. You just can't. It HURTS to see what's happening in some parts of the country, and we don't want that hurt here.
I, personally DON'T care what they want. I am not now, nor ever HAVE been, a Harbinger for someone else's plight. Speak your mind, say what you have to say, and I'll listen. I draw the line at destruction of property, and lives. If it takes sitting on my porch with a firearm to make that point, so be it. Like I said.... There were MANY others sitting on their porch with a firearm also. Black, White, AND Hispanic. We stood together today, and I'm proud of each, and every one of them.
God bless Texas!
No one forced anyone to bear a weapon. It was all voluntary. It is ALSO respectful, NOT to tear up someones property, or NOT to harm someone that had NOTHING to do with what shamefully happened. I'm sorry my friend, and I DO consider you a friend, your words ring hollow on this. Simply, you are not here.
You are certainly entitled to your opinion, and I respect you for that, BUT, you're in Europe, not Texas. We simply didn't want them tearing up our town, like they have other places, and they have DESTROYED other places. We were NOT going to allow it here. I don't care what color you are, or what you wish to express, you're entitled to it, as an American. When you start tearing up other peoples stuff, start assaulting people,THAT'S a problem. Some of those people sitting under their carport armed WERE black. THEY didn't want them tearing the place up either. I know most of these people, and some are my friends.
Despite what you're told over there, most places in this country, particularly in rural communities, Blacks, and Whites, get along just fine. We visit each other, we help each other, we fish, hunt, watch each others homes, and BBQ together. Here, you are not black, or white.... You're simply a Texan, and regardless of your color, we all treat each other with kindness, respect, and courtesy. We babysit each others kids, and grand kids. Hispanic, black, white.... All the same to us. We all get along here where I'm at, and NONE of us, will tolerate someone from the outside, tearing up our community, and harming us. Period.
OUR motto, here in Marble Falls, is EVERYONE'S life matters!
At least until recently, Europe has been pretty homogeneous. We are not. Sometimes, that makes getting along, a challenge.
You CAN NOT judge us by L.A., California, European, or New York standards. You just can't. It HURTS to see what's happening in some parts of the country, and we don't want that hurt here.
I, personally DON'T care what they want. I am not now, nor ever HAVE been, a Harbinger for someone else's plight. Speak your mind, say what you have to say, and I'll listen. I draw the line at destruction of property, and lives. If it takes sitting on my porch with a firearm to make that point, so be it. Like I said.... There were MANY others sitting on their porch with a firearm also. Black, White, AND Hispanic. We stood together today, and I'm proud of each, and every one of them.
God bless Texas!
(This post was last modified: 14-06-2020 06:18 AM by Kunder.)
#4
14-06-2020
I am aware that Europe isn't the same as Texas: I wouldn't feel safe if I lived in a nation or state where everyone can get a gun with almost no regulation whatsoever.
Because YOU may be responsible about it, but that doesn't guarantee that Joe from next-door is! And Joe's half-witted nephew, who never learned to speak right, and who married his full cousin/half-sister, either.
But you don't discriminate: they can all get a gun. And at the same time, you DO discriminate.
Because an unarmed black person can get shot and killed by any cop, just because he was reaching for his ID card. And the cop knows, that when he claims that he felt threatened for his life, because he thought the black guy might *possibly* have been reaching for a weapon, he will be off the hook! No suspension, no fine, no jail-time, nothing! Because everyone else will agree that the black man was at fault, regardless of what he did or did not do!
But at the same time three blocks away, a white person can simply shoot up a shopping mall or a school with an automatic weapon, killing a dozen people including your grand-child, and the cops will still not harm him, but take him ALIVE AND WELL! And everybody will start pitying the shooter, because of his sad, unfair childhood... His big brother pulled his pants down once... boohoo.
THAT is the injustice that BLM is about! BLM isn't about Black lives being more important than any other lives. It is about Black lives NOT being treated as LESS important!
But I guess we will never reach a common ground on this issue. So be it... I'll just stay the hell out of Texas, because it doesn't feel safe to me.
Because YOU may be responsible about it, but that doesn't guarantee that Joe from next-door is! And Joe's half-witted nephew, who never learned to speak right, and who married his full cousin/half-sister, either.
But you don't discriminate: they can all get a gun. And at the same time, you DO discriminate.
Because an unarmed black person can get shot and killed by any cop, just because he was reaching for his ID card. And the cop knows, that when he claims that he felt threatened for his life, because he thought the black guy might *possibly* have been reaching for a weapon, he will be off the hook! No suspension, no fine, no jail-time, nothing! Because everyone else will agree that the black man was at fault, regardless of what he did or did not do!
But at the same time three blocks away, a white person can simply shoot up a shopping mall or a school with an automatic weapon, killing a dozen people including your grand-child, and the cops will still not harm him, but take him ALIVE AND WELL! And everybody will start pitying the shooter, because of his sad, unfair childhood... His big brother pulled his pants down once... boohoo.
THAT is the injustice that BLM is about! BLM isn't about Black lives being more important than any other lives. It is about Black lives NOT being treated as LESS important!
But I guess we will never reach a common ground on this issue. So be it... I'll just stay the hell out of Texas, because it doesn't feel safe to me.
#5
14-06-2020
@BoilingOil
Fair enough, but to clarify a couple misconceptions. I'm technically, not white. I'm AmerIndian (Native American). Iroquois, to be exact. Actually, more white people, and people of other races, are killed more frequently by police, than blacks. You just don't hear about it. Blacks, kill other Blacks FAR more frequently than any other people. If Black Lives matter, why is this so? Why do they not value their OWN lives?
"Automatic weapons", and "Assault rifles", are illegal here. Have been for a very, long time. You need a class III license to get one. FEW people have them. A semi-auto AK47, AR15, and SKS are NOT "assault rifles" They just look scary to the uneducated. More robberies, home invasions, murders, etc. are committed with hand guns. Even MORE so, with bats, sticks, knives, fists and feet here, than anything else.... By FAR.
90% of these crimes are committed in the inner cities. Mostly gang violence.
Texas is one of he safest places there is anywhere. No drive by shootings, VERY little robbery, VERY little rape, VERY few home invasions.... An armed society is a polite society. Texas proves that. Yesterday proves that. Americans grew up on guns. It's in our DNA, and 99.9% of people with guns, are very responsible with them. Violence (until recently), is blown WAAAAY out of proportion by the media, and they're LOVING it.
Yes, I'll agree with you here. Police in some places are seriously getting out of hand, but this is in a few, high profile areas. The cop who did this horrific deed, needs to be put in a cell for the rest of his life, with no parole, and allow the prisoners to have a little "private justice"'. I believe a message MUST be sent. I don't know what the solution for this is, but SOMETHING needs done about it. We can ALL agree to that. However, that message MUST not be sent by assaulting/harming others, burning their houses, burning their cars, and businesses. This isn't going to fly, in suburban, and rural America at all! What's going on, is the people who are doing these things, are assaulting people who actually sympathize, and/or agree with them, and turning those people away from the BLM cause.
You only know what you hear from our media. The media here, has become the enemy of the people. If you don't actually live in the U.S, you REALLY don't know what's going on here, and don't understand how SAFE it is in most places, as long as you stay out of a cities bad areas. You may trust your media there, but we do NOT, here.
You also have stereotyped us. "Joe from next-door is! And Joe's half-witted nephew, who never learned to speak right, and who married his full cousin/half-sister, either", is kind of insulting, but I'll let it pass, as you don't really know anything but what you've heard. This is VERY rare, and happens far more in other places in the world. Believe it or not, the WORST place for this kind of thing in the U.S., is California. I lived there. I've seen it. California, is the laughing stock of this country, yet Europeans, and people from all countries are mesmerized by it, and continue visiting there, instead of visiting the SANE areas in this country. Go figure. THEN they go home, with a California view on the rest of the country. Not accurate. NOT good. NOT true.
The United States, is NOT what you've been led to believe by the media. There are literally HUNDREDS of YouTubers from outside the U.S, who visited the U.S, outside of L.A., and NY, who come to realize, they have been duped into believing the stereotypes portrayed by media, and actually love it here.
If you don't feel safe coming here, by all means, don't come. I wouldn't want you to feel unsafe here. That's sad. However, please don't pre-judge us on what you've heard, without coming to see for yourself.
I SERIOUSLY hope we continue to be friends, as I've grown quite fond of you, and others here, despite our "cultural" differences.
Have a GREAT day, my friend.
Fair enough, but to clarify a couple misconceptions. I'm technically, not white. I'm AmerIndian (Native American). Iroquois, to be exact. Actually, more white people, and people of other races, are killed more frequently by police, than blacks. You just don't hear about it. Blacks, kill other Blacks FAR more frequently than any other people. If Black Lives matter, why is this so? Why do they not value their OWN lives?
"Automatic weapons", and "Assault rifles", are illegal here. Have been for a very, long time. You need a class III license to get one. FEW people have them. A semi-auto AK47, AR15, and SKS are NOT "assault rifles" They just look scary to the uneducated. More robberies, home invasions, murders, etc. are committed with hand guns. Even MORE so, with bats, sticks, knives, fists and feet here, than anything else.... By FAR.
90% of these crimes are committed in the inner cities. Mostly gang violence.
Texas is one of he safest places there is anywhere. No drive by shootings, VERY little robbery, VERY little rape, VERY few home invasions.... An armed society is a polite society. Texas proves that. Yesterday proves that. Americans grew up on guns. It's in our DNA, and 99.9% of people with guns, are very responsible with them. Violence (until recently), is blown WAAAAY out of proportion by the media, and they're LOVING it.
Yes, I'll agree with you here. Police in some places are seriously getting out of hand, but this is in a few, high profile areas. The cop who did this horrific deed, needs to be put in a cell for the rest of his life, with no parole, and allow the prisoners to have a little "private justice"'. I believe a message MUST be sent. I don't know what the solution for this is, but SOMETHING needs done about it. We can ALL agree to that. However, that message MUST not be sent by assaulting/harming others, burning their houses, burning their cars, and businesses. This isn't going to fly, in suburban, and rural America at all! What's going on, is the people who are doing these things, are assaulting people who actually sympathize, and/or agree with them, and turning those people away from the BLM cause.
You only know what you hear from our media. The media here, has become the enemy of the people. If you don't actually live in the U.S, you REALLY don't know what's going on here, and don't understand how SAFE it is in most places, as long as you stay out of a cities bad areas. You may trust your media there, but we do NOT, here.
You also have stereotyped us. "Joe from next-door is! And Joe's half-witted nephew, who never learned to speak right, and who married his full cousin/half-sister, either", is kind of insulting, but I'll let it pass, as you don't really know anything but what you've heard. This is VERY rare, and happens far more in other places in the world. Believe it or not, the WORST place for this kind of thing in the U.S., is California. I lived there. I've seen it. California, is the laughing stock of this country, yet Europeans, and people from all countries are mesmerized by it, and continue visiting there, instead of visiting the SANE areas in this country. Go figure. THEN they go home, with a California view on the rest of the country. Not accurate. NOT good. NOT true.
The United States, is NOT what you've been led to believe by the media. There are literally HUNDREDS of YouTubers from outside the U.S, who visited the U.S, outside of L.A., and NY, who come to realize, they have been duped into believing the stereotypes portrayed by media, and actually love it here.
If you don't feel safe coming here, by all means, don't come. I wouldn't want you to feel unsafe here. That's sad. However, please don't pre-judge us on what you've heard, without coming to see for yourself.
I SERIOUSLY hope we continue to be friends, as I've grown quite fond of you, and others here, despite our "cultural" differences.
Have a GREAT day, my friend.
(This post was last modified: 14-06-2020 01:56 PM by Kunder.)
#6
14-06-2020
I think this is definitely heading into the religion or politics area. Indeed, in my opinion it is always best to avoid those discussions.
I am not from the US and I have only visited there on business. I don't feel I can comment on the country and so I won't.
I do see two chaps I have known for a long time risking a friendship and I would like to say that your last two posts where you seem to see and accept each other's point of view are perhaps the perfect point to close off that particular part of this thread.
I am not from the US and I have only visited there on business. I don't feel I can comment on the country and so I won't.
I do see two chaps I have known for a long time risking a friendship and I would like to say that your last two posts where you seem to see and accept each other's point of view are perhaps the perfect point to close off that particular part of this thread.
#7
14-06-2020
@leefish
I agree. I don't feel we're risking a friendship. At least, not on my end. I'm very understanding of others, and other "cultures", even if I don't agree with them. I understand that people are different, uninformed , or wrongly informed about others. I make allowances for these things, and I believe @BoilingOil, is the same way. I'm perfectly fine with BoilingOil's position on this, and I understand it. No hard feelings whatsoever, and I like to educate others, on what it's really like here.
Just like Europe, there are some really bad, misconceptions about Europeans, by Americans also. I CERTAINLY correct them, when I hear them. I've had Russians, UK, Vietnamese, foreign exchange students in my house from France, Sweden, Norway, The Nederlands, Deutschland, and Romania. They've taught me that even though we are from different parts of the world, we are a lot more alike, than people want to believe. If I didn't think so, I wouldn't be on LeeFish. You are ALL my brothers, and sisters here. That's how I feel about it, and would defend against (and have) any "Intruder", who comes in here, to disrupt our little community. I'm very protective. I've learned far more from my foreign visitors, friends, and acquaintances, than I have ever been able to teach them.
We sometimes "lose our cool" with others. It happens. The key, is to have the GRACE to forgive one another, to understand our differences, and let bygones, be bygones, and remain friends. Unfortunately, not everyone see's things this way. Fortunately, from my dealings with BoilingOil, he's very much that way, and it's part of the reason I'm so fond of him.
However, this wasn't intended to be a thorn. It's just what was going on in my life very recently, and thought I'd share a bit of reality.
We ALL need to take in to account that MOST of us, aren't native speakers, of each others languages. We need to allow for that, and not be offended by something another said, as they may not know the "correct" words, to convey their feelings properly. We need to ALL understand that we have different views, due to each of our owns "Normalcy Bias", and to understand that, and not get angry, or offended, because we don't do things that way. We need to have at LEAST, a somewhat educated view on each others cultures. This is my favorite way to deal with things. I'm a pretty good Chef, and have a firm grasp of the cuisine of other places, an found that the BEST way to learn about others, is to eat, and learn to prepare there food! YUM!
Thank you, for stepping in.
I agree. I don't feel we're risking a friendship. At least, not on my end. I'm very understanding of others, and other "cultures", even if I don't agree with them. I understand that people are different, uninformed , or wrongly informed about others. I make allowances for these things, and I believe @BoilingOil, is the same way. I'm perfectly fine with BoilingOil's position on this, and I understand it. No hard feelings whatsoever, and I like to educate others, on what it's really like here.
Just like Europe, there are some really bad, misconceptions about Europeans, by Americans also. I CERTAINLY correct them, when I hear them. I've had Russians, UK, Vietnamese, foreign exchange students in my house from France, Sweden, Norway, The Nederlands, Deutschland, and Romania. They've taught me that even though we are from different parts of the world, we are a lot more alike, than people want to believe. If I didn't think so, I wouldn't be on LeeFish. You are ALL my brothers, and sisters here. That's how I feel about it, and would defend against (and have) any "Intruder", who comes in here, to disrupt our little community. I'm very protective. I've learned far more from my foreign visitors, friends, and acquaintances, than I have ever been able to teach them.
We sometimes "lose our cool" with others. It happens. The key, is to have the GRACE to forgive one another, to understand our differences, and let bygones, be bygones, and remain friends. Unfortunately, not everyone see's things this way. Fortunately, from my dealings with BoilingOil, he's very much that way, and it's part of the reason I'm so fond of him.
However, this wasn't intended to be a thorn. It's just what was going on in my life very recently, and thought I'd share a bit of reality.
We ALL need to take in to account that MOST of us, aren't native speakers, of each others languages. We need to allow for that, and not be offended by something another said, as they may not know the "correct" words, to convey their feelings properly. We need to ALL understand that we have different views, due to each of our owns "Normalcy Bias", and to understand that, and not get angry, or offended, because we don't do things that way. We need to have at LEAST, a somewhat educated view on each others cultures. This is my favorite way to deal with things. I'm a pretty good Chef, and have a firm grasp of the cuisine of other places, an found that the BEST way to learn about others, is to eat, and learn to prepare there food! YUM!
Thank you, for stepping in.
(This post was last modified: 14-06-2020 03:55 PM by Kunder.)
#8
14-06-2020
CWAP! I just had a long epistel done, and one uncontrolled, wrong keypress destroyed it... I have to start over.
@Kunder, @leefish,
First, I was trying to be careful not to destroy our friendship, because I value it. Even when I had no idea that you were not technically 'white'. And how *could* I know? We are not predisposed to go into that much depth about our personal lives! I have a lot of respect for all AmerIndians, slash Native Americans. The land *should* belong primarily to you!
Just the picture sketched in the top post was something I had a problem with... some 100 people of predominantly dark complexxion, and then a whole town of people of indiscriminate color and intelligence, having guns at the ready... It just doesn't sit right with me. But, I did the best I could NOT to make it personal, and keep it as general as I could, just to show my concerns.
So, dear @leefish, I do understand what it looked like from your perspective, and I do appreciate you trying to mend some fences, and helping us out. But there was not really a need, as far as I'm concerned. I *do* however, respect your ruling. And if you say we cannot continue this discussion, then it *will* stop immediately. Because you are right about one thing: the world over, disagreements over politics and religion are the things that cause the most harm. We don't need that on a family-friendly board.
Okay, @Kunder, you had the right to clear something up and put me in my place. And I'll take that to heart. Now let *me* make one thing very clear: I was NOT stereotyping Americans -- or even Texans -- in general. 'Joe from next-door' was just to mean 'any person that I do not know', and his nephew was any person unknown to me, who hits the intelligence bar on the below-average side. Joe and the nephew could both be anybody, but they are nobody specific. Just regular average unknowns. And we both know that they exist. In large numbers!!! There are some 7 billion people on this planet. The maybe 100 of those that I know, do not present a fair representation. So from *my* personal perspective, there are about 6.5 billion Joes on this ball-o-mud, and maybe 500 million Nephews. Not stereotyping, just ... well you get the picture, I trust.
Also, I have nothing against guns. Really. Guns don't do bad things, as long as they're wielded by responsible people. But there *is* something about indiscriminately giving guns to everyone, because -- and you must agree with me on this -- there ARE a lot of people who can not be expected to be responsible with them. Guns, fine. But regulated like cars are regulated. Regulated like the licence to perform surgery is regulated. I don't want Joe's brother of 8 to operate on me, regardless how smart said brother is. And Joe's nephew should never appear in an operating theatre, unless it is because he needs to be operated on!
And with cars, only at a certain age, after you have proven that you can drive a car responsibly, should you receive a driver's license. And similar restrictions SHOULD exist for guns.
And you are right, blacks kill blacks, and chinese kill chinese, and whites kill whites... I will concede that point. But those are not incidents between different colors. So they have little if anything to do with racism. You don't see an organisation of blacks or chinese that dresses or behaves like the KKK, for example. So these, intra-racial issues are not even on the table here.
And if a society with guns is so safe, then why do gun-related deaths in the US (with less than 5% of the world population) far outnumber total violent deaths across the world, war-zones excluded? And it never looks like, whenever a bad guy is destroying the place and distributing pain and death, there is a 'good guy' around to stop him. No, suddenly we have to wait for the police, and they don't shoot the bastard either. They do everything they can -- at the risk of more lives being lost -- to take him alive. But a black man in a car can be killed without having done anything wrong. And because it is a cop doing it, nobody really questions if it was justified to shoot the man.
No, @Kunder, I do NOT hold any of that against you personally. But I *do* feel that the American society is not as safe as you want to make us believe it is. No other nation in the world has so many weapons, and no other nation in the world has so much violence outside times of war. I see a clear correlation.
But as we all understand, there is no way we will ever agree on most of these issues. And since we're not really neighbors, maybe we don't even need to, either. I just wanted to express my concern, which I have done. And after this bout of friendly disagreement, I certainly hope nothing will EVER destroy our friendship. We are brothers who had a little fight and who, as a result, are now closer than ever, even though the difference will remain! Right, friend?
@Kunder, @leefish,
First, I was trying to be careful not to destroy our friendship, because I value it. Even when I had no idea that you were not technically 'white'. And how *could* I know? We are not predisposed to go into that much depth about our personal lives! I have a lot of respect for all AmerIndians, slash Native Americans. The land *should* belong primarily to you!
Just the picture sketched in the top post was something I had a problem with... some 100 people of predominantly dark complexxion, and then a whole town of people of indiscriminate color and intelligence, having guns at the ready... It just doesn't sit right with me. But, I did the best I could NOT to make it personal, and keep it as general as I could, just to show my concerns.
So, dear @leefish, I do understand what it looked like from your perspective, and I do appreciate you trying to mend some fences, and helping us out. But there was not really a need, as far as I'm concerned. I *do* however, respect your ruling. And if you say we cannot continue this discussion, then it *will* stop immediately. Because you are right about one thing: the world over, disagreements over politics and religion are the things that cause the most harm. We don't need that on a family-friendly board.
Okay, @Kunder, you had the right to clear something up and put me in my place. And I'll take that to heart. Now let *me* make one thing very clear: I was NOT stereotyping Americans -- or even Texans -- in general. 'Joe from next-door' was just to mean 'any person that I do not know', and his nephew was any person unknown to me, who hits the intelligence bar on the below-average side. Joe and the nephew could both be anybody, but they are nobody specific. Just regular average unknowns. And we both know that they exist. In large numbers!!! There are some 7 billion people on this planet. The maybe 100 of those that I know, do not present a fair representation. So from *my* personal perspective, there are about 6.5 billion Joes on this ball-o-mud, and maybe 500 million Nephews. Not stereotyping, just ... well you get the picture, I trust.
Also, I have nothing against guns. Really. Guns don't do bad things, as long as they're wielded by responsible people. But there *is* something about indiscriminately giving guns to everyone, because -- and you must agree with me on this -- there ARE a lot of people who can not be expected to be responsible with them. Guns, fine. But regulated like cars are regulated. Regulated like the licence to perform surgery is regulated. I don't want Joe's brother of 8 to operate on me, regardless how smart said brother is. And Joe's nephew should never appear in an operating theatre, unless it is because he needs to be operated on!
And with cars, only at a certain age, after you have proven that you can drive a car responsibly, should you receive a driver's license. And similar restrictions SHOULD exist for guns.
And you are right, blacks kill blacks, and chinese kill chinese, and whites kill whites... I will concede that point. But those are not incidents between different colors. So they have little if anything to do with racism. You don't see an organisation of blacks or chinese that dresses or behaves like the KKK, for example. So these, intra-racial issues are not even on the table here.
And if a society with guns is so safe, then why do gun-related deaths in the US (with less than 5% of the world population) far outnumber total violent deaths across the world, war-zones excluded? And it never looks like, whenever a bad guy is destroying the place and distributing pain and death, there is a 'good guy' around to stop him. No, suddenly we have to wait for the police, and they don't shoot the bastard either. They do everything they can -- at the risk of more lives being lost -- to take him alive. But a black man in a car can be killed without having done anything wrong. And because it is a cop doing it, nobody really questions if it was justified to shoot the man.
No, @Kunder, I do NOT hold any of that against you personally. But I *do* feel that the American society is not as safe as you want to make us believe it is. No other nation in the world has so many weapons, and no other nation in the world has so much violence outside times of war. I see a clear correlation.
But as we all understand, there is no way we will ever agree on most of these issues. And since we're not really neighbors, maybe we don't even need to, either. I just wanted to express my concern, which I have done. And after this bout of friendly disagreement, I certainly hope nothing will EVER destroy our friendship. We are brothers who had a little fight and who, as a result, are now closer than ever, even though the difference will remain! Right, friend?
#9
14-06-2020
@BoilingOil
@leefish
It was more educational, and informational as far as I'm concerned, and wasn't a problem. We won't agree on everything, and most certainly not this, however, even the best of friends, can only claim around 75% agreement. We're all good, as far as I'm concerned, and do like most good friends do. Agree, to disagree, and move on. AFAIAC, we're GTG. You have to remember that I have a long, and storied military background, and sometimes, I conduct myself that way. Hope you understand. I certainly find no fault in your character. I have enough flaws, for the both of us! 
I feel this thread should now be "locked", to prevent anyone less understanding, from chiming in and getting themselves in trouble. Agreed?
@leefish
It was more educational, and informational as far as I'm concerned, and wasn't a problem. We won't agree on everything, and most certainly not this, however, even the best of friends, can only claim around 75% agreement. We're all good, as far as I'm concerned, and do like most good friends do. Agree, to disagree, and move on. AFAIAC, we're GTG.
You have to remember that I have a long, and storied military background, and sometimes, I conduct myself that way. Hope you understand. I certainly find no fault in your character. I have enough flaws, for the both of us! I feel this thread should now be "locked", to prevent anyone less understanding, from chiming in and getting themselves in trouble. Agreed?
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