Say Anything Blog

Human beings only have two ways to deal with one another: reason and force.

There’s a third way—incentive.  A carrot on a stick is neither reason nor force, but the result is the same.

I suppose there could be some gray area here—a starving man can be persuaded to do despicable things for a meal, while at the other end of the spectrum, plenty of fat rich people will do despicable things out of pure greed.

They are both examples of incentive, but the former is certainly a lot closer to force than the latter.

[Feet make good soup!]

The other way that people have to deal with each other is to choose not to deal with each other. “The people shall not interfere in the business of others or attempt to restrict individuals as they exercise their free rights” should be in the Bill of Rights.  “Mind your own business” should be a law.

The founders were assuming that the people would come to the aid of their country in a time of need. At the time that the 2nd Amendment was written, the standing army was almost non-existent. The people had just brought their own guns and won the Revolution. They were not envisioning a possible tyranny for the people to rise up against.

“A well-regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.”

Read the whole thing.

We were once a nation of citizen soldiers, and we’ve strayed way too far from that ideal.

Let’s get rid of the standing army than.

Let’s get rid of the standing army than.

A good example of false either/or propositions.

ews, perhaps you should familiarize yourself with the thinking and rationale of the times in which this country was founded. As for no standing army during the Revolutionary War, you are self delusional if you actually believe that. In the months leading up to the formal declaration of Independence from the Crown of England all of the colonies had begun forming the core of what became the Continental Army. Prior to that the standing army was the Royal Army of the King of England. And that of the Bourbons and the King of Spain.

In codifying the right of the citizens to keep and bear arms the Founding Fathers did INDEED foresee the possibility of the People having to rise and defend themselves against tyranny from their OWN government. As this had, in fact, already happened. Remember? That bit of unpleasantness involving the Crown and Parliament of England?

As to your other point, I am a member of The Militia, being a citizen owning property, registered to vote, and trained in the arts martial, as defined by the writings of Major Robert Rogers, the body of thought upon which the 2nd Amendment is based. 

Please buy a clue, sweety, since you obviously can’t locate one on your own initiative.

Una Salus Victus Nullam Sperare Salutem

There’s a third way—incentive.  A carrot on a stick is neither reason nor force, but the result is the same.

Incentive is actually an example of reason.  You want me to do something, you offer to pay me (money or goods it doesn’t matter) for that undefined something.  If I refuse you have two options (aside from trying to get someone else to do it), offer to pay me more, or try to force me to do it.  This shows resoning (offer, counter-offer) or force.

In the end if I accept your offer of more money then we have reasoned with each other, you have purchased a service from me, and I have accepted the job for the said pay, again reason.  I stand to gain the offered pay, and you stand to gain the accomplishment of the task you can not or will not do.

As for second ammendment it clearly states that “the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” That phrase shows that the citizens have the right to own the guns.

Let’s get rid of the standing army than (sic).

What a maroon!

An armed society is a polite society. -RAH

Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

I meant to make that point, Anthony, but ews’s stupidity drove it from my mind.

Marty, the point of the parable of the carrot&stick is that if you do not take the incentive of the carrot you will be beaten with the stick. Reason and force, yin&yang, the 2 faces of the same coin.

Una Salus Victus Nullam Sperare Salutem