Toban Black

4 responses so far ↓

• 1 kestrel9000 // Jul 2, 2009 at 7:47 am

  You might make sure you know what the hell you’re talking about before you slam people, idiot.
  To hold a CHP in Virginia, you must sign off on the fact that you agree not to drink while carrying a gun. So what’s the problem?
  Also, I don’t criticize you people for your restrictions on what music your radio stations have to play up there. Why should I care about Canadian criticisms of MAerican gun laws?
  If you don’t like our gun laws, you are free to remain north of the border, where they don’t afgfect you.
  This American, and lifelong hardcore Democrat, just signed out.

• 2 Toban // Jul 3, 2009 at 1:00 pm

  “To hold a CHP in Virginia, you must sign off on the fact that you agree not to drink while carrying a gun. So what’s the problem?”

  You’re actually suggesting that this sign-off is some sort of guarantee of handgun safety?

  So you must be suggesting that problems only arise when drunk people have access to hand-guns… ?

  But what about drugs (e.g. crack)?

  Besides, such an oath obviously will not ensure that people always are sober when they’re toting their guns.

  “If you don’t like our gun laws, you are free to remain north of the border, where they don’t afgfect you.”

  The U.S. has a huge impact on Canada, in many different ways. People in Canada watch a lot of violent Hollywood movies, for instance.

  But I’m not a self-centred guy, so I don’t need to be in the midst of gun violence to be concerned about it.

  Clearly you think that people should just watch their own backs (and perhaps those of people they’re closer to).

  You’re aggressive too — evidently.

• 3 kestrel9000 // Jul 3, 2009 at 2:04 pm

  In America, we assume that a person is responsible and law abiding until and unless they prove otherwise.
  I’m actually closer to you than you might think. I’m in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom.
  There is no such thing as “gun violence.” There IS such a thing as “people violence.”
  Here in Vermont, we have a) next to no violent crimes committed with guns and b) next to no gun laws. Here in Vermont, you don’t get a concealed carry permit - you simply carry.
  Explain that to me. Why is it that, in the emost politically liberal state in America, we have the most relaxed gun laws in America?
  Could it be that people here behave responsibly, as a rule?
  I don’t know what y’all do up there, but again, I don’t criticize you for your radio stations being required to play a certain amount of Canadian music, regardless of whether it’s crap or not.
  I also lived in Virginia for two and a half years, and happen to be personally acquainted (though slightly) with Creigh Deeds, and your criticism of him is off the mark.
  That was how I found your blog - I have a google alert set to Creigh Deeds.
  Again, make sure you know what the hell you’re talking about before yo shoot off your mouth, and perhaps your arguments will carry a little weight.
  Aggressive? Moi?
  Well, sure - if you piss me off.
  I am a progressive’s progressive. I am basically a Democratic socialist.
  But I will rise to the defense of my Second Amendment rights, as well as to that of the good name of the next governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, where necessary.
  Take off, hoser. >;)

• 4 Toban // Jul 5, 2009 at 2:14 pm

  “There is no such thing as “gun violence.” There IS such a thing as “people violence.””

  That’s silly double-talk. Obviously people are behind gun violence. Obviously it’s easier to harm someone when there’s a gun at hand. (There would be no drive-by shootings without guns, for example.)

  I’m not going to take those word games seriously.

  —

  “Why is it that, in the emost politically liberal state in America, we have the most relaxed gun laws in America?”

  If you were to compare Vermont with the rest of the United States, you would have to take into account more than laws and the lack thereof. What about socioeconomics? How much money is there in Vermont, for example?
  A lot of factors also would have to be taken into account. I’m not about to attempt to do that.

  But if you’re going to present Vermont as a credible example for the rest of the U.S., you’ll have to make a case that the U.S. can imitate Vermont on a lot of fronts — beyond just policy issues.

  —

  “In America, we assume that a person is responsible and law abiding until and unless they prove otherwise.”

  (First of all -
  There is no universal American point of view. There are American inclinations, but you’re overgeneralizing.
  That said…)

  Clearly guns often are used irresponsibly and unlawfully; so what’s your point?

  I haven’t suggested that we should jump to conclusions about any particular person (by locking them up even if they haven’t broken a law, for instance).

  You clearly are saying that we should stand back until people have already shot one another — at which point we could only punish them, and try to reduce their access to guns.
  But why not try to find ways to prevent the violence before it happens?

  I’m not proposing any particular approach to preventing that violence. The situation definitely isn’t all about laws — which weren’t the focal point of my actual post.

  —

  Regarding Mr. C. Deeds -
  I was relying on Bill Moyers’ take on Deeds’ stance. Perhaps his wording is somewhat misleading;
  right now I couldn’t say whether or not that’s the case though.

  But Deeds is just one person. I mainly was looking at the bigger picture in the blog post here.
  Whatever Deeds’ positions on gun issues are, there obviously are officials who try to remove legal restrictions on guns.

  —

  “I don’t criticize you for your radio stations being required to play a certain amount of Canadian music, regardless of whether it’s crap or not.”

  Why compare those issues with gun issues?

  Anyway…

  Those radio policies are a feeble attempt to try to prevent Canada from getting swamped more by American imports. Those policies haven’t been all that successful (in part, because just looking at the origins of music isn’t an adequate way of assessing how Canadian it is).

  Anyway, if we’re going to talk about support for bad music, we certainly should take into account how mega-corporations often market bad music (particularly in the United States, where there is a huge entertainment industry).
  I’m not implying that people are forced to eat it all up though; instead, I’m just pointing out how laws aren’t the only factor that we should take into account.

  —

  “Make sure you know what the hell you’re talking about before yo shoot off your mouth, and perhaps your arguments will carry a little weight.”

  After making a statement like that, I assume that you’ll be prepared to back up all of the claims in your comments that I have questioned… ?

  As for me -
  At most, those sorts of criticisms only apply to how I quoted that one sentence from Moyers without doing some investigation of my own.

Leave a Comment