Intelligent and Humorous! - by TPO

Samples of Gun Discourse in America

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I - From: Comment section of Washington Post*

daskinner at 11:34 PM CST:-

Guns are like brains. Better to have and not need, than need and not have.

Reply ...

Maximus Powerus at 11:36 PM CST:-

Sadly, daskinner, you seem to be in the former category on guns and the latter category on brains.  

You should really do a little research on your "legitimate rights." I suggest starting with D.C. v. Heller, but don't get all hot and bothered when Scalia says gun ownership is a right and go dancing in the streets; keep reading to the part where he talks about how it's not an unlimited right.

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II - From: Slate readers**

Unforgiven:

Drowning is a leading cause of death among US youths. In 2002, 1158 youths younger than 20 years died as a result of an unintentional non–boat-related drowning. Additionally, more than 300 youths aged 20 to 24 years drowned that year. Children aged 1 to 4 years and males aged 15 to 24 years have the highest risk for drowning. - American Journal of Public Health.

Water - The silent killer!

Reply ...

Randy4797:

That's why I drink my Crown straight up.

Reply ...

Stellla IV:

Also, it rusts pipes. 

(Thank you, WCF)

Reply ...

Tradecraft:

And an icicle (water frozen into a dangerous shape) can kill. Once the icicle has performed its deadly mission, it melts and becomes untraceable.

Surma Vabariiklased:

I haven't heard of any gang-related drive-by drownings, or people backing a tanker up to a class room window to inflict some mass drowning.
  

But should such things occur... I suspect normal/sane people would at least be open to discussing how we could prevent such things in the future.

Stellla IV:

A sad lack of adjectives there. You can do better.

Reply ...

Hernando Martinez:

Maybe throw a "psychotic stupids" in there?

Tradecraft:

So you're OK with waterboarding? Are you a pro-torture lunatic?

Reply ...

Surma Vabariiklased:

I prefer wakeboarding.

Reply ...

Hernando Martinez:

Psychotic stupid wakeboarding?

Hila:

Drowning? When was the last time you heard of anyone killing themselves by drowning? It happens and we do require more responsibility on the part of pool owners than we require of gun owners: locked fences and insurance.

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* Source:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/kathleen-parker-gun-control-proposals-hardly-

draconian/2013/01/11

** source:

slate.com (1/28/13)

The Thing of Real Value - by Raymond Beyda

The Thing of Real Value

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by Raymond Beyda *

Once there was a man who lost his fortune and was forced to travel to a far away land in order to earn a living. He arrived at a remote place where the simple folks did not even know how to plow or plant produce. The land, however, was strewn with valuable jewels and pearls. The people traded the valuable gems for food and produce that merchants from other countries brought to barter. 

The visitor decided to buy a farm and plant various grains and vegetables. He married and had children and eventually became the wealthiest man in the country because he supplied the ignorant residents with their physical needs in exchange for valuable gems. When he reached a ripe old age he called in his sons and told them that he had another son from his first wife in his country of origin that was very intelligent and that they should bring him to share in the inheritance when he died. The man requested that they give the intelligent, other son his choice of either the farm or the jewels and wealth he bequeathed. 

And so they did. The half brother came to live with them and was asked which part of the father's inheritance would he like [sic] to have. He chose the farm -- much to the dismay of the others who thought that if he were so smart he would certainly choose the gold, silver and jewels. 

Several years later a wise king came to the land and taught all of the residents agriculture. The economy grew as they all sold their jewels to foreigners and produced what they needed to live for themselves. It was then that the brothers realized the wisdom of their half-brother that chose the farm over the wealth. “He was the one who chose the thing of real value and left us with the rest.”
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*Rabbi Raymond Beyda: “Best of Both Worlds”
Source - http://www.torah.org/learning/tabletalk/5763/shlach.html