Boy Suspended from School for Playing with Fake Gun at Home

[srbbones]

What's the relation between a disturbed college principal and a gouvernment? And a cigar forum?

In terms of the decision - it was a school governing body -- so the comparison applies. In terms of the issue being discussed here -- I just commented on an existing thread, one which you commented on before me. I shouldn't even have to explain this

[canadianbeaver]

I posted before but deleted because I do not like to get wrapped up in topics like this (ok I am a coward) but I have been thinking about it.

When I lived in the city, no kids played with these airsoft guns on my street so we would not even know how to comment. Perhaps a lot of opinions are based on NRA arguments that are way out of proportion.

Now that I live in the country, everyone in my area has guns, both real and airsoft. The kids all play very aggressively and I can see this happening. Maybe if it happened over and over, at some point someone stepped up and called authorities. Maybe the mom and the other mom had a fight and saw the opportunity to take revenge.

Perhaps, like if you wear a t-shirt to school that says "Obama Rama Jama", a teacher winks at a 15 year old student he will get suspended, or in Canada right now, a discussion is going on about wearing a cross or Moslem hat to work - the pendulum has swung too far to let normal forces deal with this ****.

[PigFish]

What is most interesting to me is the perception of the article itself and the perception of those reading the comments that follow.

Like Rob, I present a little food for thought.

Is it not true that basic liberty is in danger?

Lets just examine some examples of those who understand a little about liberty and the nature of those who wish to keep it. Liberty is obviously lost as a means of the creation of law, not that law is unnecessary. I don't speak as an anarchist but one that sees liberty is a finite pool of rights. You either have them, or a governing body does. Liberty, or rights are not grown or expanded by definition. They are only limited and transferred by definition. If you are free to do everything, you are therefore not limited by any law. Every law transfers your right to an action away from you and to another.

With that said, where are we when most of your friends and neighbors, members of this forum and people around the world are always rationalizing a new law that strips rights from another? The answer; a world where there is a ruling class and those that are ruled by them. A world where there is no individual freedom.

These are generalizations, please read them as such. You may be one or another who has no wish to affect the lives of others. If so, you are the exception, there is no reason to fight with me about it.

There are the people who hate guns and I won't limit myself to them. They want their neighbor to without one, so that they can feel comfortable. They rationalize their fear of them many ways and try to enforce their wishes through many laws. Then there is the vegan. They are uncomfortable with animals as food and support laws on others that restrict them harming animals. Then there is the guy who does not want a certain merchant in his neighborhood. There is the guy who hates the smoke from his neighbor's BBQ and supports the banning of them. There is the man who fears his neighbors' religion and seeks to block the building of his neighbors' place of worship. There is the person who is afraid of off-roaders on the beach so he wants the cars banned, then horses, then the dogs, then eventually the people???

The point to this claptrap is that as long as we as individuals are not willing to share our world with those of us who have differing views, and attempt to affect their lives via government actions and legislation though our governing bodies, our freedoms will erode. We will all eventually live in societies where if it is not mandatory it is prohibited. There will be no freedom of choice. There is a reason for banning every lawful activity and like it or not we are getting to the point that government has to decide on every activity and render a decision as lawful or unlawful, because someone thinks, "There should be a law against that." Is that freedom?

Please think about what you do that may cause someone to say, "That should be illegal, or there should be a law against that," before you parse through the details of your own prejudices and say, "but, this is different." Everyone thinks their idea of a new law is different and it is right. We no longer think in terms of freedom, to live and let live, but rather in terms of governance and in ways that we can affect those that are not like us.

In the instance of this story, who was hurt? No one. Why then the law? It exists because the prejudices of one group have the power to strip the rights of another. And of course they will say, that this law protects society, it is different, it is worth it, the activity is not necessary!!! Horse-piss!

There is a person, probably not 50 yards from where you are, that thinks smoking should be banned. He is no different than you and I when we say that his activity should also be prohibited, because it annoys us, or we feel it is unsafe. Next time you see someone and think to yourself, that should be illegal; go take a look in the mirror and examine what you do. Now think at all those people viewing and judging you as you do them.

Cheers! -the Pig

[Orion21]

Thanks Pig, you nailed the reason for my outrage. Liberty and true Freedom are disappearing from this world one regulation/law/ban/tax at a time. Some of our brother's are much more desensitized to this than others and I have to respect their opinion, but it doesn't mean I have to like them being cool with the slippery slope that's getting slipperier everyday. Each new generation is becoming more and more comfortable with their lives being regulated/controlled from cradle to grave. I choose not to just give in and cash in my chips. This is not a gun issue that I posted about. It's an issue about individual freedom and how it is under assault by those who arbitrarily provide themselves the power to invade our families lives because they don't agree with our beliefs. Pig is correct, more and more there is now a ruling class that tells everyone else what to do and how to do it. What's approved and what is banned. What we can say and what we cannot say. This story highlights how, in this case, they are now telling us they can dictate with what and how our children can play in our own yards. You don't have to agree or approve of children playing with airsoft guns, but if you can't understand the principle involved then it's a waste of time to debate. You either get it or you don't.

[PigFish]

Thanks Pig, you nailed the reason for my outrage. Liberty and true Freedom are disappearing from this world one regulation/law/ban/tax at a time. Some of our brother's are much more desensitized to this than others and I have to respect their opinion, but it doesn't mean I have to like them being cool with the slippery slope that's getting slipperier everyday. Each new generation is becoming more and more comfortable with their lives being regulated/controlled from cradle to grave. I choose not to just give in and cash in my chips. This is not a gun issue that I posted about. It's an issue about individual freedom and how it is under assault by those who arbitrarily provide themselves the power to invade our families lives because they don't agree with our beliefs. Pig is correct, more and more there is now a ruling class that tells everyone else what to do and how to do it. What's approved and what is banned. What we can say and what we cannot say. This story highlights how, in this case, they are now telling us they can dictate with what and how our children can play in our own yards. You don't have to agree or approve of children playing with airsoft guns, but if you can't understand the principle involved then it's a waste of time to debate. You either get it or you don't.

You, in turn buttress my perspective and opinions. I too am outraged over the actions, moreover the fact that few care because it was not their kids and believe that such laws won't touch them. Very foolish, very shortsighted, especially for those residing in a persecuted minority class such as cigar smokers. We should know better.

Cheers mate! -R

[potpest]

Living life in "black and white" is something I gave up on many years ago. There is an immense pleasure to be obtained from the hues in-between.

I would like, with your permission of course, to steal this quote........ a great outlook on life

[ptrthgr8]

Khalid sounds like a muslim name, i wonder if the neighbour is a white hilbilly woman afraid of the "terrorisers" living next door.

Hmm. Why do I suspect you'd be somewhat vexed if someone said something racially/ethnically driven that referred to someone who was from the Middle East?

I wasn't aware that blacks, Asians, Hispanics, or - gasp! - Middle Easterners couldn't also be afraid of the "terrorisers" living next door. I had no idea it was something specific to us white folk. I guess you learn something new every day.

Cheers,

~ Greg ~

[Smallclub]

btw, Khalid is an arabic name, not necessarily a muslim name. All Arabs are not muslims.

[Ken Gargett]

All Arabs are not muslims.

do you mean that or do you mean "not all arabs are muslims"?

[ptrthgr8]

do you mean that or do you mean "not all arabs are muslims"?

It's amazing how much difference the placement of one word in a sentence can make.

Cheers,

~ Greg ~

[Ken Gargett]

It's amazing how much difference the placement of one word in a sentence can make.

Cheers,

~ Greg ~

yeah, i hate to seem pedantic but years as a lawyer and i just can't help it.

[Colt45]

i hate to seem pedantic...

I doubt that.

Or is it - that I doubt.......

[Ken Gargett]

I doubt that.

Or is it - that I doubt.......

nice! i would also hate to be involved in a thread hijack, almost as much as i hate to be pedantic.

[Colt45]

nice! i would also hate to be involved in a thread hijack..

You know KG, you should be proud. You've come such a long way over these past eight years - there was a time when you wouldn't have known what a threadjack was, what this thingy or that thingy does. And now here you are, a master of all things world wide web and a social media authority.

Kudos to you!

I'll raise a glass of Inzolia in your honor. And a glass of Fiano. And some Valpolicella.

[Ken Gargett]

You know KG, you should be proud. You've come such a long way over these past eight years - there was a time when you wouldn't have known what a threadjack was, what this thingy or that thingy does. And now here you are, a master of all things world wide web and a social media authority.

Kudos to you!

I'll raise a glass of Inzolia in your honor. And a glass of Fiano. And some Valpolicella.

colt, extremely kind as always. and correct. had no idea about threadjacks, but you may have gone overboard from there.

must dash. kiwis to annoy.

[khomeinist]

Cello on or cello off?

[rook]

I used to participate in neighborhood airsoft wars running across the neighbor hood through people's backyards, hoping fences trying to capture flags. We never ran into trouble with the law, but we did encounter a few cranky neighbors who weren't thrilled we were running through their yards.