Ah Bill, I can't believe that with all of the neat toys at your disposal you
want
to get off into this tar pit. Never one to pass up really smelly bait, I'll get
out on the limb and start sawing. My wife and I both have handguns at hand.
Our
concern is that we not go down without the means to put up a fight. In many
years neither of us has had a need, but who can forsee the future. Much of the
moral base for American society seems to have eroded. Money is the only goal
worth pursuing. As one who has been a foster parent and am now an adoptive
parent working to change the law with regard to kids in state custody I am faced
constantly with the fact that parents no longer concern themselves with their
children. Committment to spouses, family and decency is in short supply. All
manner of perversions are now presented as "alternate lifestyles". Public shame
is a historical oddity. Lest you think me unduly jaded I invite you visit any
of
the multitide of local gun shows that are a regular offering in most parts of
this land (or our vaunted universitoies)and view the denisons. As a fan of the
pendulum theory I have some hope that we are near the end of a swing and hope
that we see a change of direction before we all go down in a nationwide
firefight. There, that ought to give everyone a target. Lock and load. John
WSpohn4@aol.com wrote:
> As a non-American, I do not share the American fascination, some would say
> obsession, with guns. In fact I prefer to be as far away from them as
> possible.
>
> I don't want to get into an argument about whether this is short-sighted, or
> whether most of the gun fans are intentionally misreading the American
> constitution to justify their gun ownership.
>
> I am writing to comment on something I have noticed just this last month -
> the encroachment of guns into an area that I do enjoy - cars.
>
> First, I was reading Automobile. Jean Jennings wrote an article about a Range
> Rover that was designed not as a fashion statement, like the Eddie Bauer
> whatever 4 by 4, but as the Range Rover Holland and Holland. While certainly
> traditionally English, in that Holland and Holland is an English gun maker
> with a long history, I expect that this joining of car and guns was crafted
> specifically with the American market in mind.
>
> Then, I picked up the latest issue of Car & Driver, to see an article on the
> BMW 740iL 'Protection', an armour plated yuppie-mobile with the writers
> feeling invincible and giving the finger to other drivers, and pictures of
> guns sticking out of windows.
>
> Was there a revolution (in thinking perhaps) while I wasn't looking? Has
> America become an armed camp (some would say it always was, I suppose)? Or is
> it just coincidence that two car manufacturers, both interestingly offshore
> ones, have suddenly begun marketing these models that focus on guns?
>
> Anyone have an opinion - I'd really be interested to hear what Americans and
> non-Americans both have to say on the subject.
>
> Bill
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